A Promise You Just Can't Keep
by starmini
Summary: When Lucy meets an arrogant treasure hunter, the quiet life she's built for herself is shattered. Adventure, betrayal and love now await her as she confronts the dark truths of the world, and of her past, alongside Natsu—whose own mysterious past threatens to come between them. How far will Natsu go to keep a promise? How far will Lucy go to break it? -NaLu (Gruvia, Gajevy, Jerza)
1. Chapter 1-The Promise

Lucy stood on the street in front of a building, triple-checking that the address, the name, all matched the words her secretary had written down for her earlier that morning. "4895 Guild Street…Magnolia Books" she read aloud. Everything matched, but Lucy still had a hard time believing this was the place she had her secretary cancel all her meetings for. It was a small two-story house constructed with fading red brick. The front door was painted green, but most of the paint was peeling away from the wood. There were three windows facing the street, two on the second level, framed by pale, fading white shutters, and the one on the first level that took up most of the exterior wall. Yet, the four gold numbers that hung on the door matched the address she was given, as did the name scrawled on the window situated to the left of the door. It looked so out of place compared to the sleek modern skyscrapers that surrounded it. She knew New York City was home to many "hole-in-the-wall" places, but this store just seemed unbelievable. Shaking her head in disbelief, Lucy climbed the four stairs to the door and went inside.

As soon as she entered, a cheery tingling sound echoed throughout the room. The bell announced her arrival, bringing a cheerful man walking towards her from around a counter situated to her right.

"Hello welcome to Magnolia Books," he greeted. "My name is Winston. How may I assist you today?" Winston's hands were clasped together in front of him as he spoke and the skin around his eyes crinkled when he punctuated his greeting with a bright smile. She had never met a happier-looking stranger before in her life.

"Hello Winston. My name is Lucy Heartfilia. I believe you spoke with my secretary earlier this morning about some books I'm looking for." She said, trying to keep her eagerness in check. At the mention of her name Winston's smile widened, crinkling the skin around his eyes even more.

"Oh yes!" He exclaimed. "Your secretary said you were interested in our rare books collection. If you follow me to the back, I can show you where we secure them." Turning promptly on his foot, Winston began to lead Lucy to the back of the store where a staircase led up to the second floor. The stairs squeaked and groaned under their weight, the old wood complaining about its age. Once they ascended, Lucy noted a drastic contrast between the two levels. The first floor was completely crammed full of books. She had to weave around giant towers of them as she followed Winston to the back. If they were organized in any direction, she couldn't tell. However, the second level was neat and tidy. The books stood promptly in glass encased shelves, their spines as straight as soldiers. Winston guided her to a table by one of the windows and motioned for her to sit. There was a laptop already stationed on the table, and moving his finger over the cursor, he awoke the technology from its slumber. The screen was black, with a small, white rectangular search box in the center.

"Okay Miss Heartfilia. Here at Magnolia Books we pride ourselves in being able to cater to the needs of a wide variety of book lovers, book collectors, book enthusiasts, etc.! I've developed an inventory system for our books, so just type in the book you're looking for and I'll go grab it for you." Winston slid the laptop over to Lucy, still smiling.

"You managed to inventory all the books in this store?" She questioned, arching an eyebrow in disbelief. Remembering the chaotic towers and piles on the first floor, the thought seemed near impossible. Her question made his ever present smile falter a little as he replied.

"Oh I apologize. I should have been more clear. I've only managed to catalog the French garden…err…that's what I call the second level. I haven't done the English garden yet. I'm only a third of the way done, since we get new shipments in all the time. But, since you're interested in our rarer books, if we have it, it'll be up here."

"In the French garden." She mused.

"Exactly." Winston smiled returned in full force, and Lucy couldn't stop herself when she returned it. His smiling was becoming infectious.

Lucy turned to the screen and typed in the name of the books she was looking for and pressed searched. The system pulled up a screen, with a number that read: 148-63-A. Winston clasped his hands together as he stood and disappeared around a corner. He returned shortly with a medium sized bundle, covered with a red cloth. He placed it on the table in front of Lucy as she moved the laptop away.

"I believe these are what you were looking for. You certainly are interested in rare books if you asked for these. The Iron Maidens are the rarest books we have in the store." He said.

She couldn't respond. Her mind was focused on what Winston had just procured for her. She touched the red cloth gently, as she pulled it away from the surface. Removing the cloth revealed a medium sized box made completely from iron. It was decorated with intricate designs that covered every inch of it. It was absolutely stunning. She fumbled with the clasp, hardly able to contain her excitement as she lifted the lid. And there they were.

Three small leather bound books laid in a row were resting at the bottom of the box. Winston grabbed one for her, and opened it. Inside there were beautiful words she couldn't even begin to understand scrawled elegantly on the pages. She couldn't believe it. She had found them. It had taken her nearly 1 year to track them down, but now, they would be hers.

"Winston," she finally managed to say. "I would very much like to purchase these."

"Of c-"

The cheery, tingly sound of the bell at the front of the shop announced the arrival of another customer. Winston placed the book back in the case and covered it with the red cloth once more before picking it up again. "I apologize Miss Heartfilia. I will happily sell them to you, but transferring ownership of such a valuable object takes a little bit of a process. Allow me to see to the needs of this customer, so that we may continue this transaction. Until then, I'll have to secure these once more."

"I completely understand. I'll just take a walk through the English garden while I wait."

Winston smiled his eye crinkling smile at her when she adopted his terminology, before disappearing around the corner to secure the books. _Just a little longer._ She thought. _Then I'll have the perfect wedding gift for my best friend._

Lucy climbed down the stairs, the steps still groaning. She managed to make it back to the front of the store, without tripping over a pile of books or knocking over a tower. Her plan was to look around in the front area so she wouldn't get lost and Winston could easily find her.

"It's about time," a voice complained as she stepped around the last tower.

"Excuse me?" She said affronted by his tone.

A man with spiky, pink hair and olive complexion leaned against the front counter, glaring at her. Well, Lucy assumed he was glaring at her, by his tone and his posture. He was wearing black sunglasses that completely hid his eyes, so she couldn't be 100% certain. His arms were crossed against his chest, revealing the definition of his lean muscles under the plain black, V-neck t-shirt he wore, complimenting his dark jeans and black boats. The man straightened as he stepped away from the counter, walking towards her.

"Oi. Is this any way to run a shop?" He said as he looked around the store. "I've seen pig stalls better kept than this."

Lucy just stared at him in shock. _Who is this guy?_ She thought. Yeah, she had to admit that he was attractive, but his rude attitude was completely repulsing her.

"Hey blondie!" The man leaned over her, lifting his sunglasses so she could see he was indeed glaring at her with his onyx colored eyes. The motion caused the rings he wore on his left hand to catch the sunlight that was streaming into the store, to flash in her eyes. She squinted, trying to block it out. "Are you deaf? Can't speak? I'm talking to you." His voice held the irritation Lucy was feeling. "I'm here to buy the book we talked about."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Lucy said, her annoyance level had exceeded its limit. The man blinked, a shocked expression on his face. It was either from the fact that Lucy could indeed speak or the tone she used to speak to him, or both; she didn't know and didn't care as she continued. "You don't come barging into a store acting like you own the place, criticizing it, barking demands at someone, and expecting someone to fall all over you to get what you want. You can take your self-righteous, Gothic ass right out the front door with that type of attitude."

She crossed her arms against her amble chest, punctuating her sentence with a glare that matched his own. Most of her life, Lucy had dealt with people like him. The people who thought they were better than everyone and looked down on others. For the longest time, she quietly lived in that world, accepting it. When she finally managed to break free, she swore she wouldn't hold her tongue again. The man opened his mouth to respond, but a voice behind Lucy cut him off.

"Ah, you must be Mr. Dragneel." Winston appeared behind a tower of books, his hands still clasped together, and his smile always intact.

"Natsu." The man corrected, still glaring at Lucy. Natsu held her gaze for a measure longer, before positioning his sunglasses back over his eyes. Turning towards Winston, he spoke again, but, Lucy noted, his voice was a shade less demanding. "I spoke with someone here about some books I'm looking for. The Iron Maidens. I'm here to buy them."

Winston's smile disappeared for a moment as his eyes widened. He looked at Lucy, then at Natsu as he realized he had two people interested in the same rare books. Lucy felt smug as she realized Natsu was in for some disappointment.

"The Iron Maidens aren't for sale." She said, flipping her long blonde ponytail back over her shoulder. Natsu looked at her again, noting her smug tone.

"And why not?" He asked, slightly turning his head towards her.

"You're looking at the person who just purchased them." She replied.

"What? You?" His eyebrows lifted above his sunglasses in disbelief.

"Well technically she hasn't purchased them yet. I was about to draw up the paperwork for Miss Heartfilia." Winston corrected, sheepishly.

"Whatever amount she promised you, I'll double it." Natsu offered coolly. Now it was Lucy's turn to stare at him in shock. _Double the amount?_ The Iron Maidens were already extremely expensive. Her eyes cut to Winston, who was wearing a similar shock expression. Lucy quickly composed herself. Winston had already promised them to her, so she had nothing to worry about. Right?

"Don't go whipping out your checkbook now. Winston has already promised the Iron Maidens to me Mr. Dragneel. You'll have to find them somewhere else." Even as Lucy was saying it, she knew he couldn't purchase them anywhere else. She had already tried. The Iron Maidens were a set of three books that were handcrafted by an ancient civilization she couldn't pronounce the name of. They had valued craftsmanship and only the best at their craft were allowed to work on them. Each page held a labor of love, pride, and dedication. Even the case they were contained in was handcrafted. The iron workings were expertly designed, the techniques used still haven't been reproduced by modern hands. Technically, it was a priceless piece since only 10 Iron Maidens existed in the world. 6 were in museums around the world, 2 were in private collectors' hands and one was at a university. The last was recently donated to this obscure little shop in the middle of New York City, by someone who obviously didn't realize their worth.

"Triple." Was Natsu's only response.

"You can't be serious." Lucy responded. There was no way this vamp-punk wannabe could have that much money. Lucy lived comfortably and could afford the finer things in life, by sheer hard work and effort. Yet, there was no way she could throw around that price without thinking twice about it. _Who is this guy?_ She wondered.

"I'm quite serious. Whatever price you offer him, I'll make sure mine is more. I'm all fired up to spar with you all day, but I'm sure you'll break your bank trying to keep up with me." Natsu smirked and lifted his sunglasses once more, staring steadily at Lucy. "Blondie, I'm leaving here with the Iron Maidens and that's a promise. And I always keep my promises."

Lucy just stared. The look he was giving her made her believe every word he said. She just couldn't believe this was happening. She had spent a year, tracking and researching the movements of the Iron Maidens. They were going to be the perfect presents for her best friend, but now this pink-haired-boy-band-dropout was going to ruin everything. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair. She wanted to scream at him, smash his glasses against the counter, kick him with one of her infamous Lucy-kicks, grab the Iron Maidens and run. She was imagining the entire scenario in her head when she heard Winston give a little cough. He looked at Lucy, his eyes questioning whether her wallet would accept Natsu's challenge, but she could only look away in defeat. He gave her a sad smile before unclasping and re-clasping his hands.

"Miss Heartfilia," Winston said after a long moment. "I apologize, but it would appear that the Iron Maidens are no longer for sale. I would be happy to show you any of our other rare books we have in stock." He tried giving her one of his eye crinkling smiles, but the glare she gave him made him look away. "Mr. Dragneel-"

"Natsu" He corrected Winston again as he settled his sunglasses back over his eyes.

"R-Right. Natsu if you would be so kind to as to follow me. I'll show you to the Iron Maidens and we'll start on your paperwork and discuss your method of payment." Winston turned smartly on his heel once more, though Lucy noticed a little faster than before, weaving effortlessly through the piles and towers of books. Natsu started to follow him then stopped, turning towards Lucy.

"I'm curious," he began. "How did you know the Iron Maidens were here? You even beat me to this weird store and that's quite impressive. That's never happened before."

Lucy rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe this guy. Not only did he just come here and steal the Iron Maidens from her, now he wanted to gloat about himself at the same time belittling her, thinking no one could beat him. _He is something else._ She thought annoyed.

"Are you always like this Mr. Dragneel?" She questioned.

"Natsu. Call me Natsu. And like what?" He placed his hands in his pockets, feigning ignorance.

"Self-absorbed, egotistical, rude, impertinent, narcissistic jack-ass that throws his money around stealing wedding presents someone worked a year to track down and save for just to say that their yours. Yeah, like that Mr. Dragneel." She spat back. His eyebrows knitted together, obviously annoyed by her comments, but she didn't care. Lucy was beyond annoyed herself.

"I said to call me Natsu. I'm not-" He started, but she cut him off before he could finish.

"I don't care what your name is or to know what you are and what you are not. Quite frankly I don't care to spend another minute here talking to you. I promise I will never see you again."

"Hey just wait a minute." He ripped his sunglasses off again, and glared at her. His onyx eyes flashing. "You can't-"

"And like you, I always keep my promises Mr. Dragneel." Lucy cut in before walking out the door.

* * *

Two weeks later Lucy was hurrying out of a cab, taking the stairs two at a time towards the doors of a church. The heels she was to wear and the hem of her dress were clutched in her left hand, while she carried a small box in the other. The doors creaked opened as she entered, running down the hallway to the left, before climbing yet another set of stairs to the second floor where the rest of the bridal party was finishing getting ready.

"I'm back!" She called as she opened the door to the bridal suite. As she entered a blur of blue hair and white satin came hurling at her.

"Thank the stars, Lucy you saved the wedding!" The bride hugged Lucy, staring up at her with wide brown eyes.

"Don't cry Levy, you'll mess your makeup up." She chided loosening herself from Levy's grip. "Sit down so we can finish getting you ready." Lucy guided her friend back to her seat, setting the small box on her lap. The hair dresser came forward, with the veil in hand. He was a tall thin man, with dark skin and dreadlocks that stuck out from his scalp.

"Don't go anywhere Lucy. All that running around has messed up your hair, so you're next." Cancer gave her a stern smile as he finished Levy's hair. He had pulled her thick blue hair back and into a neat braided bun. The veil comb was fastened into the top of the bun, the sheer fabric tumbling down her back. Standing, Levy stood in front of them, looking rather nervous.

"So how do I look?" She asked, rubbing a part of the veil between her fingers.

"You look beautiful," Another bluenette gushed. She was dressed in a pale pink satin dress, with a white sash around the middle that tied into a bow at the back. Her blue hair was split into twin tails that stopped at her sides. A flower crown kissed her brow, giving the child an angelic appearance.

"Thank you Wendy," Levy replied smiling warmly.

"Can you believe it? Soon we're going to be sisters!" Wendy gushed some more, practically squealing in delight. Wendy was the sister of Levy's fiancé, Gajeel. In the two years that they've been together, Wendy's and Levy's relationship had grown very close.

"That's right!" Levy giggled, hugging the girl. "And it's all thanks to Lucy for running out and grabbing Gajeel's ring. I can't believe I forgot it at the apartment."

"It was nothing." Lucy shrugged. "You really do look beautiful Lev'" Lucy said, staring at her friend. Levy was dressed in a simple, but elegant sweetheart neckline, mermaid styled dressed. It was made out of pure white satin that clung down her body, flaring out just below her knees, the fabric spooling onto the floor. Once she turned around, the matching pure white satin buttons fastened down her body until the fabric flared out, giving the dress a dramatic appeal. Levy looked stunning.

"And you look like you just wrestled a pig." Cancer wagged his comb at Lucy as he motioned for her to sit down. Everyone laughed as Cancer undid his early morning creation, combed her long blonde hair and swept it up into a lovely low side bun. He let a few tendrils frame her face, before situating a pale pink flower in her hair that matched her long satin dress. "There," Cancer said as he finished. "Now you look like the maid-of-honor."

Lucy stood and checked her reflection. Cancer truly was a genius when it came to hair. He was the only person in all of New York City who she would allow to do her hair. He had agreed to help the girls with their hair for Levy's wedding as a favor to Lucy. He was normally booked solid, but he always made time for her.

"Thank you Cancer." She said smiling.

"Alright ladies, I'm off to my next appointment. Don't you dare mess up my creations until after the wedding pictures. My babies need to be seen in their full glory!" He mused as he hugged everyone before leaving.

A knock on the door sounded, and Lucy opened it, revealing Jet and Droy on the other side; Levy's older brothers. They were in their tuxes, both looking strangely comical in the formal attire. Poor Droy's suit looked like it wanted to escape from him. One button was desperately holding the two sides of the suit together over his wide expanse of a belly.

"Levy, we're ready for you when you are." Jet said, smiling in awe at his younger sister.

"Oh my God," Levy shouted.

"What!" Lucy, Jet, Droy, and Wendy asked together in unison.

"I just realized I'm getting married," Levy replied and the four of them sighed together in relief before laughing.

"Alright well let's get you married then Levy." Lucy said, pulling Levy's veil over her head and handing her, her bouquet. She grabbed Gajeel's ring and stuck in on her thumb, as she grabbed her own bouquet. Wendy picked up her basket filled with flower petals, and smoothed down the front of her dress. Lucy looked around, her mind checking all the necessities off and making sure they weren't forgetting anything…again. Satisfied that they were ready, she nodded to Jet and Droy.

"Okay, so I'll walk down and take my place at the alter which will start the procession. Wendy will follow once I get halfway down. Once she makes it to the alter that will be the organist's cue to start the bridal march. Wait 2 beats and start walking Levy down on the third. Any questions?" Lucy said, relaying the motions once more that they had practiced at the rehearsal dinner. She was confident that it would go smoothly, since everyone in the bridal party had shown up. Well, almost everyone. Gajeel's best man's flight had been delayed so he wasn't able to make it. However, all he had to do was stand next to Gajeel and hand him Levy's ring when the officiant asked for it. Simple, right?

Jet and Droy nodded they understood, reassuring that they'll expertly guide Levy down the aisle. Satisfied, Lucy turned to Levy.

"I'll see you at the alter then Lev." She said hugging her best friend once more. Levy only nodded, but her eyes said it all. If any of them said any more, they both would be bursting into tears.

"Alright Wendy, let's go." Wendy and Lucy exited the bridal suite and headed to the front doors of the sanctuary. Lucy gave a nod to the organist as she appeared at the opening to the room. Everyone was seated and chatting amicably, but when the music changed slightly a wave of silence hushed the crowd. Lucy waited the appropriate 2 beats before walking down the aisle. She smiled at familiar faces, nodding to others. She looked up at Gajeel and they both smiled at one another, nodding their acceptance of the other. Lucy's eyes drifted to the left of Gajeel, to get a glimpse of the mysterious best man and stopped for half a beat.

"Y-You-" She started, but thankfully her years of draconian styled etiquette training kicked in, keeping her from further losing her composure. Gajeel raised one eyebrow at Lucy, and turned to stare at his best man.

A shock of spiky pink hair, hard onyx eyes, and a toothy smug grin filled her vision as her eyes widened in disbelief. _HIM_? Lucy's mind shouted as she continued to make her way to her spot near the alter. _The cotton-candy-haired-hipster…he's Gajeel's best man_? Natsu ignored Gajeel's questioning look, watching Lucy the entire time. Lucy remembered the last words she said to Natsu and inwardly cringed. She wanted to throw her bouquet at him and wipe that stupid smug grin from his face. Her hands gripped her bouquet tighter, at the thought.

Wendy had just finished dusting the aisle with pale white and pink rose petals and the organists changed to the bridal march. Natsu and Lucy broke each other's gaze to watch Levy make her entrance. All eyes looked towards the opening of the sanctuary, where the bride had finally appeared.

Lucy had only just left Levy, but the few minutes that they had been separated drastically changed the young bride. She had already looked stunning, but now she looked dazzling. It was like the love she had for Gajeel wrapped around her, causing her to glow. Tears pricked Lucy's eyes, as she watched her best friend walk down the aisle. Not even her two clowns for brothers on either arm diminished her beauty. If anything, they added to it in some weird way. Droy and Jet gave Levy to Gajeel and took their seats. Levy handed Lucy her bouquet, joining hands with Gajeel as the officiant started the ceremony.

Lucy felt like a horrible best friend. She had schooled her features to wear the appropriate smile, but all she could think about was the idiot standing next to Gajeel. _Why was he here? Had Levy met him before? Is this who Gajeel hangs out with_? Lucy had only met a few of Gajeel's friends when Levy invited her to their parties. She had only gone to a few of them, since running your own business didn't allow for much free time. The friends that she was introduced to were nice, but Natsu had never been there. Her mind was pondering all of this when she heard Levy clear her throat. Blinking to clear her thoughts, she realized that Levy was holding out her hand. It took Lucy a moment to realize that now they were exchanging rings. Her eyes widened as she hurriedly took Gajeel's ring off her thumb and handed it to Levy. Levy smiled and thanked Lucy, and turned back to Gajeel.

They spoke their vows, exchanged rings, and the officiant called for the kiss. Gajeel took Levy into his arms and dipped her tiny frame into a deep and passionate kiss. Lucy locked eyes with Natsu, who was still smirking at her. _Did he ever stop doing that_? She wondered. Gajeel and Levy straightened and the officiant introduced the newly married couple to the gathered audience.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in congratulating the newly married couple. Mr. and Mrs. Gajeel Redfox!" The crowd burst into applause, hoots and shouts were heard all around. Lucy returned Levy's bouquet to her, before Gajeel led her down the aisle and out of the sanctuary. When the couple disappeared, Lucy stepped down and away from the alter as fast as she could. Raising her voice, she addressed the guests.

"Ladies and gentlemen, can I please have your attention." She started and the jovial guests turned towards her. "Cocktail hour will be held in the adjacent manor. Please follow the path lined with yellow roses that will lead you to the venue. There will be cocktails and light refreshments before the reception. If you have any questions, please ask one of the staff members. They are there to see to your needs. The bride and groom will join you after the wedding pictures are taken. Thank you" Lucy finished her speech and the promise of food and drinks quickly emptied the church.

"We get to take pictures now, right Lucy?" Wendy appeared at her left, looking up at her excitedly.

"That's correct. We need to meet Levy and Gajeel in the gardens. The photographers should have already directed the love birds over that way."

"Yay!" Wendy yelled. "Natsu you're coming too right?"

Natsu came towards them, his hands in his pockets. He was wearing a tailored tux that made him look even more aggravatingly attractive. Whereas Droy's suit wanted to escape, Natsu's looked right at home. He flipped one of Wendy's tails over her shoulder and smiled down at the child.

"That's what Gajeel told me, but you're going to have to show me the way since I have no idea where to go."

"That's alright, Lucy will show us. She knows everything!" Wendy chimed.

"Does she now?" His gaze drifted up to Lucy, his smirk returning. "Well then miss maid-of-honor, please lead the way."

 _This is for Levy. This is for Levy. This is for Levy_. She repeated to herself over and over again in order to keep from smacking the smug faced bastard and storming away. The trio made it to the gardens where Gajeel and Levy were being directed to pose in all sorts of romantic ways. The two did look great together.

The photographer wasted no time in shuffling them around to take the bridal party pictures. Lucy smiled and posed and adored over Levy as she was directed to. It was almost over when the photographer moved Natsu in front of Lucy to get the best man and maid-of-honor picture. She cringed again as he directed her to act as if she was straightening the pale pink flower on his lapel. He made her hold that pose while he snapped pictures of them at different angles.

"So," Natsu whispered close to her ear as the photographer kept demanding different poses. "I thought you said you always kept your promises." He chuckled softly at the memory of her from before.

Clenching her teeth together, she tried to ignore him. She tried to pretend he was just some stranger, or that this was a horrible nightmare. Yet, his stupid smirk kept irritating her more and more.

"I'm sorry have we met before?" She said simply. His brows knitted together for a moment in confusion, temporarily removing his smirk.

"I'm the so called "self-absorbed, egotistical, rude, impertinent, jack-ass" remember?" He quoted her, rolling his eyes at her past insults.

"You forgot narcissistic." She corrected. Lucy used that time to break away from him, signifying the end of the pictures. He opened his mouth to say something, but Lucy quickly spoke to the photographer.

"Cocktail hour is about to end and the guest should be making their way to the reception hall. Take about 5 more minutes to get last minute pictures before making your way over there with the bride and groom. I need to make sure everyone is seated at their tables, before they make their grand entrance." She instructed the photographer who nodded in understanding.

"Wendy make sure to bring them over in 5 minutes, okay?" She whispered into the little girl's ear. The photographer seemed to be really into taking pictures and would hold Levy and Gajeel hostage for the rest of the day. The young girl nodded, happy to be given a job to do.

"Okay Lucy!"

"Great, and make sure you keep the best man here so he doesn't get lost." She added. Wendy smiled and nodded again. With things in order, Lucy started to head towards the manor to check on the progression of the events.

"Just a few more hours," she muttered to herself. "And I will keep my promise. That's for sure."


	2. Chapter 2

Following the path lined with yellow roses, Lucy made her way to the manor where the rest of the wedding guests were socializing. Cocktail hour was being held in a few of the first floor rooms. Many guests were enjoying themselves, walking amongst the connected rooms, conversing, drinking and nibbling on finger foods. Lucy's stomach growled slightly and she desperately needed a drink, but she couldn't relax just yet. She had to herd the 100 guests into the ballroom where the main reception was taking place.

She spoke to one of the wait staff to gather his help in directing the guests to the ballroom. He nodded and motioned for the other waiters and waitresses to follow his lead as he politely began ushering guests to their seats. Lucy told the bartenders to close the bars, giving the guests another incentive to leave the rooms. _Follow the booze_ ; Lucy thought as more and more guests left after realizing the bar was closed.

"There you are," a voice called out to her as Lucy finished checking to make sure there were no more lingering guests. Turning towards the voice, Lucy's features broke into a smile as she recognized the person.

"Gray!" She called back as a man dressed in a smart black suit with an ice blue tie came walking towards her.

"I've been looking all over for you. Please tell me you're done with your maid-of-honor duties and I don't have to be alone with these strangers." Gray pleaded.

Lucy gave him an apologetic look and shook her head. "Sorry Gray. There are still things I need to do."

Gray closed his eyes and ran a hand through his black hair. "Well at least take a minute to eat and drink something," he said as he handed her a plate he had been holding. There were grapes, a mini sandwich and some cheese squares. "All the fancy stuff is gone, but I managed to hold onto these. Eat this and I'll go grab you a drink."

Before she could protest, Gray walked over to the closed bar. A few flirtatious words from Gray and the giggling bartender handed him a mixed drink. By the time he had returned, Lucy was placing the last grape into her mouth. He raised his eyebrows in amusement, chuckling as he took the plate from her and handed Lucy her drink.

"I guess I was a little hungry," she admitted, sipping her drink. Already, she could feel the tension in her nerves relaxing with something on her stomach and the alcohol in her.

"Only a little?" Gray laughed again as Lucy blushed and looked away. "I guess I can survive with the strangers a little longer why you go and do your maid-of-honor thing. Just don't overwork yourself. If you need help with something, just let me know. After all, I am your date for this thing."

Gray Fullbuster stood tall and handsome in his suit, ever the reliable man Lucy knew him to be. When she had first moved to the city, Gray was the first person she had met. They had become instant friends, both struggling artists at the time. They would meet up regularly to complain about their rejections, give each other pep talks when one really needed it, and congratulate each other whenever the artistic world smiled kindly on them. Gray was an artist whose medium was oil painting. He was so talented; Lucy was in awe of his skill. When her first book sold, she commissioned him to paint the cover art of her book so she could show it off. Some fancy, rich investor fell in love with Gray's style and started commissioning him regularly. That had been the luck he needed to get his name out into the world. Now he was booked constantly by the nouveau-riche, blue-bloods, and the elite of high society to paint murals, portraits, etc. When they had social events, they would often bring each other in order to ward off any unwanted attention.

"Thank you Gray. But I really need to check to make sure all the guests are in the ballroom. Wendy should be bringing Gajeel and Levy this way now, and I want things to go smoothly for their grand entrance. Also, I need to run down to the kitchen to check on dinner." Lucy started rambling off the items on her mental checklist, realizing that there was a mountain of work there still needed to be done in order to make sure Levy's day was perfect. "And then after dinner, I'll give my speech and then the best man-" She stopped remembering who the best man was. She rolled her eyes and huffed loudly. Gray picked up on her change of emotion, arching an eyebrow at her.

"I meant to ask you about that. " He said, but Lucy just shook her head.

"Don't worry about it. I'll fill you in later."

Gray held her gaze for a moment, trying to decide to push the topic or not. He just sighed and crossed his arms against his chest, his muscles becoming more defined by the action.

"Fine later," he agreed. "Now go off and make sure everyone is in the ballroom. I'll go check on dinner for you."

"Thanks Gray. "

"No need to thank me. Free food and booze are the two main reasons people go to these things anyway." He waved off her thanks, stopping before exiting the room to look back and smile at Lucy. "Just save a dance for me, kay?"

"Definitely," she called after him as he left.

Hurrying to the ballroom, Lucy slipped into the room to make sure everything was in place. She had come with Levy to check out the manor for the venue and already thought the space looked grand. Yet, with the decorations in place, the ballroom looked like something out of a fairy tale. There were crystal chandeliers sparkling across the ceiling and a giant one that hovered in the center of the room where the white dance floor was set up. With the lights dimmed, the chandeliers looked like stars sparkling. The round tables hovered a comfortable distance away from the dancefloor and were covered in champagne colored silk linens. The centerpieces consisted of tall floral masterpieces; clusters of white roses and orchids bloomed from clear vases, with orange roses sprinkled in. Levy was determined to get orange in her wedding somewhere and the centerpieces satisfied that. Tea light candles were placed on the tables as well to give the space an even more intimate feel. Each table was set for six; the dinner plates had a small card on top, indicating who sat where. Lucy and Levy had spent hours together, making sure everyone had the perfect placement. As she walked to her table, her eyes were mentally checking to see if everyone was supposed to be in their designated seats. From the looks of it, everyone was accounted for. With a sigh, Lucy observed her table. Gajeel and Levy were seated next to each other. On Gajeel's right, Wendy was placed and next to her was Natsu. Looking at his card, it merely read "Best Man." No wonder she didn't recognize his name when they had met at the bookshop. Not once, if her memory was correct, had Levy or Gajeel referred to Natsu by his name. Whenever Lucy was helping Levy plan, he was only ever referred to by his title.

Her eyes noticed that her name was on top of the dinner plate next to his. She quickly switched Wendy's name with his, preferring Gajeel's little sister's company far more than Natsu's. That left Gray to be placed on her right and then back to Levy. Lucy had made the comment that they would just spend the whole night gossiping and giggling together if they had sat by each other. With Gray as a buffer, the gossiping and giggling would be cut in half…supposedly.

Satisfied that everyone was here and things were in order, Lucy went to go find the bride and groom. Before leaving she saw Gray come in through the back entrance of the ballroom. He caught her eye and gave her a thumbs up, indicating dinner was on schedule. She nodded her thanks and left the room.

Retracing her steps, Lucy went back to the rooms where cocktail hour had been held. Believing the bride and groom to be there, she was slightly worried by their absence. In was way past the 5 minute time limit she had given both the photographer and Wendy. She knew that Levy would need a rest after the spur of emotions and events she had been going through. Being a bride was quite demanding and it was Lucy's job to make sure Levy felt as little of that demand as possible. She stopped by the bar, picking up a couple bottles of water. Walking outside, Lucy spotted the missing couple with Wendy a few steps ahead of them coming up the rose-lined path. When Wendy saw Lucy she quickly walked towards her.

"I'm sorry Lucy!" Wendy cried. "The photographer wouldn't listen to me after I told him you said only 5 more minutes. He kept saying "okay after this shot" If Natsu hadn't stepped in we still would be taking pictures." She explained.

Lucy smiled down at Wendy and patted her head. She handed her a bottle of water and Wendy thanked her.

"Don't worry about it Wendy. You did a great job." Lucy reassured. "Do you remember where the ballroom is?"

Wendy nodded her head and took a sip of water.

"Right. If you could go there and find our table that will be a big help. That way, Levy and Gajeel know where to go after they make their entrance."

Excited to be given another job, Wendy skipped into the manor towards the ballroom. Levy and Gajeel arrived afterwards, looking exhausted.

"I'm never taking another picture again," Gajeel said grumpily.

"I'm so proud of you for not losing your temper," Levy giggled in response. "I was so amazed."

"Hey Shrimp! You act like I lose my temper all the time." He pinched her cheeks as he spoke.

"Gaaajeeel," Levy whined trying to smack his hand away.

Lucy laughed watching the two of them together. She was used to their antics, knowing this was one of Gajeel's ways he showed he cared. Even if he picked on her, he would do anything is his power to protect Levy and keep her smiling.

"Bunny-girl, are those waters for us?" Gajeel's use of his nickname for her use to get on Lucy's nerves. But after two years she's grown accustomed to it.

"Yeah, I thought you guys might be thirsty." She handed a bottle to Gajeel and Levy, the two drinking quickly. Lucy had been right.

"Thanks, but if I have to take any more pictures I'm going to need something stronger than water." Gajeel said, crushing his empty water bottle in his hand.

"I agree, plus I'm getting hungry." Levy confessed.

"Don't worry Lev, you two can rest momentarily. Everything is set up and on track for dinner. All you need to do is enter the ballroom, let everyone cheer for you, and then we'll start dinner."

"Alright!" Gajeel cheered. "Let's go then." He grabbed Levy's wrist and started walking faster. The promise of food quickening his pace. Lucy lifted up her hem to keep up. She noticed Natsu wasn't with them, and thought to ask where he was but stopped herself. _He must have gotten lost_. She thought. _Oh well, it's not my job to keep track of him_. The trio stopped in front of the ballroom doors. Lucy grabbed their empty water bottles, circling them to make sure everything else was in place.

"I'll go in first and give the MC the cue that you're ready. When you hear him call you, that's when-"

"We enter. They cheer. We eat." Gajeel interrupted.

"Uh- yeah. Don't forget to smile." Lucy said as she left the door outside the door, walking towards the MC. She deposited the empty water bottles in a nearby trash and then relayed her requests to the MC. He nodded at her instructions, and Lucy stood by the DJ station to make sure everything proceeded accordingly.

"Ladies and Gentlemen please jump up from your seats and put your hands together as I introduce to you, Mr. and Mrs. Gajeel Redfoooooox!" The MC spoke into the mike and the guests stood, applauding enthusiastically as Gajeel literally ran into the ballroom, carrying Levy over his shoulder. Lucy smacked her forehead with her hand, groaning at the sight.

"Quick cheering so we can eat." He roared, as he ran to their table, Levy holding on for dear life.

"Er-Uhm" the MC was at a lost as to what to say after witnessing the bride and groom's entrance. Lucy walked over to him and took the mike. The guests were looking at each other a little confused as to what to do next.

"Thank you to everyone for joining Levy and Gajeel on this special day. They wish not to bore you with long speeches, so if you could please take your seats dinner will now be served."

On cue, the back doors to the ballroom opened. Waiters and waitresses in matching black shirts and pants entered, covered dishes on giant treys balanced on one hand, a bottle of wine in the other. Each server came to stand behind the chair of a guest, and simultaneously, they placed the dish in front of the guest and removed the cover. The servers then poured fine wine into each clear glass. Their coordinated movements had a splendid overall effect that eclipsed Gajeel's earlier abruptness. The guests applauded the servers as they left, digging into their meals hungrily. The MC had the DJ play some low background music, encircling the room with another layer of warmth. Satisfied that things were smoothed over, Lucy went to take her place at the bridal table.

Upon approaching the table, she noticed something was not right. Levy and Gajeel were sitting happily, eating their dinner. Yet, Gray was sitting on Gajeel's right where Wendy should have been, and Wendy was sitting next to Levy. The only empty space at the table was to Gray's left and next to that space sat a pink haired idiot she had been trying to avoid.

Levy waved Lucy over, seeing her friend approach, giving her an apologetic look. "I moved some places around. Wendy wanted to sit by me, so Gray traded spots with her. But I made sure you two were still sitting by each other." Levy explained.

"It's no big deal," Lucy shrugged taking her seat. Gray stood and held the chair out for her, and she gave him a smile. Out of her peripheral, she noticed Natsu staring at them. _It would be no big deal_. She told herself. _Get through this dinner and then you can avoid the pink porcupine for the rest of the night_.

"That was quite an entrance you made, Gajeel." Lucy said, cutting into her chicken. She gave him a pointed look, which he ignored as he cut savagely into his steak. Levy groaned, remembering her near-death experience.

"That was not my idea of an entrance," Levy said, shaking her head.

"What? You said enter. So we did. You said we could eat after they cheered. They cheered. Now look we're eating." He argued. "Also, I even smiled."

"Smile?" Natsu laughed. "You called that death glare a smile? I've seen pigs smile better than that."

"Oh been looking in a mirror lately?" Gajeel retorted.

"Want to go Gajeel!" Natsu and Gajeel stood up simultaneously, glaring at each other across the table. Lucy was about to say something, when Levy interrupted them instead.

"Gajeel. Natsu," She smiled, saying each of their names sweetly. They both turned their glares towards her. "It seems you've forgotten that you're at _my_ wedding not some rowdy bar. Please remember that. But if you can't, I can always help you remember." Though Levy's tone was still light, the aura she was given off was dark. They both gulped and sat down immediately.

"Great!" Levy clasped her hands together, beaming at the people around the table.

"I've never seen Levy like that," Gray whispered into Lucy's ear and the truth was, neither had Lucy. Though, after Natsu and Gajeel sat down, Levy's dark aura faded.

"Oi," Natsu said, turning his attention to Gray. "Who are you anyway? I've never seen you before."

"I'm her date." Gray responded, looking at Natsu with a hard stare as they both sized each other up. Natsu looked at Gray then at Lucy and started laughing.

"What's so funny about that?" Gray asked annoyed

"There's no way blondie would go for a guy like you." Natsu managed to say, still laughing.

"What's that's supposed to mean?" Gray started to stand in protest, but one look from Levy stilled him. Lucy placed a hand on his shoulder and he sat back down. "You don't even know her."

"Sure I do," Natsu said, leaning back in his chair. "We've met before. We went shopping together."

"Really?" Gray looked at Lucy, his question directed to her.

"I didn't know you guys knew each other." Levy stated surprised.

One look at him and the same irritation from the other day came back to Lucy. He was smirking again and she just couldn't stand it. He was twisting their initial encounter as if it were an average meeting.

"We met before," Lucy agreed, forcing the words out. "But we didn't go shopping together. We just happened to be in the same store. I didn't even know who he was. I thought he was some hotheaded customer." She corrected.

Gajeel started laughing loudly. It was now Gray's turn to lean back in his chair smirking.

"Natsu you were in town and didn't say hi?" Wendy pouted.

"It was for…business." He explained. "Trust me, if I could have stayed longer I definitely would have." Natsu looked at Lucy as he said that, but she just looked away.

Before anyone else could say anything, the MC's voice was calling for their attention. A few entertainers came to perform for the guests while everyone finished their meals. The servers returned once more, removing their dinner plates. Lucy looked at her watch, calling up the schedule in her head.

"Levy. Gajeel." She called to them. "It's time for your first dance, are you ready?" Lucy asked.

"Time to show everyone my sweet moves!" Gajeel said, standing up quickly.

"You're not flinging me up in the air again," Levy warned standing up as well.

"I'll go make sure the music is set for the dance." Lucy stood and walked to the DJ where the MC was standing as well.

"Ah Lucy!" The MC called her over. "I was just about to announce the first dance. Are the bride and groom ready?"

"Yeah, they're ready. I just came to make sure the music was all set." The DJ nodded down to her from his station.

"Okay then do your thing." She told the MC. The MC turned on his mike and introduced Levy and Gajeel again, a spotlight following them onto the dance floor. The song they had selected for their first dance began to play, and the two swayed gracefully in each other's arms. Lucy was getting emotional watching them. She hoped one day she might find someone to love like that. How they looked into each other's eyes, finding completeness there, was so magical. Gajeel, despite his usual rough appearance, looked dashing in his white tux, as he spun Levy away from him and back into his arms. The couple complimented each other so well. Where Gajeel was rough and intimidating, Levy was sweet and welcoming. They brought out the best in one another, even after seeing each other at their worse. Lucy had been there when they first met, listened to every detail about their first date, and every date that followed. Lucy was there to comfort Levy after she had gotten into a rare fight with Gajeel, wiping away the tears. Lucy listened to Levy talk about the future she wished to have with Gajeel. The dreams she wanted for the both of them. She was even there when Levy realized that all her feelings for Gajeel equaled up to love. Lucy had helped Gajeel pick out the perfect ring for Levy and gushed and cried with Levy after she accepted the proposal. Remembering how the past two years built up to this moment, made the tears she had been holding back start to fall. A tap on her shoulder, spun her around. Gray was standing beside her, offering her a handkerchief. She took it, thanking him as she wiped her eyes. He took it back from her, stuffing it back in his front suit pocket.

"I guess those things do come in handy for events like this." He said.

"I'm just so happy for her," Lucy sighed, watching her best friend dance across the floor with the man she loved. The song finished, the guests clapped, and Gajeel gave a dramatic bow.

"Be jealous of my moves," He roared, causing everyone to laugh. The DJ started into another song, encouraging others to dance. Gajeel took Levy in his arms, for round two. Levy laughing as he spun her some more.

"May I have this dance?" Gray asked Lucy, bowing slightly and offering his hand.

"Of course," She reached for his hand, but someone else grabbed hers instead. She was pulled onto the dance floor, finding herself in the arms of a particular person.

"Natsu!" She exclaimed in surprise.

"You finally said my name." He taunted. Rolling her eyes, Lucy silently chided herself against her slip up.

"Don't get used to it." She replied. "I am supposed to be dancing with Gray."

"But you're not," Natsu pointed out.

"Yeah, because you dragged me out here." She objected.

"I saved you from having to dance with him."

"Are you delusional?" She questioned.

"I believe the appropriate words are-" Natsu spun her away from him, her body twirling as he pulled her back into his arms and eloquently dipping her low to the ground. "Thank you." He finished; his lips tickled against her ear as he spoke.

Natsu straightened them both, continuing to dance in time with the music as he laughed at Lucy's stunned expression. He spun her out again, but found resistance when he tried to pull her back.

"Gray!" Lucy was pulled into her date's arms, ending her dance with Natsu.

"Hey!" Natsu protested as Gray started to dance Lucy away.

"Find your own date hothead." Gray spouted back, as he led Lucy far away from him. "Are you alright?' He asked her after putting enough distance between them and Natsu.

"Yeah I'm fine," She replied, but truthfully she wasn't. She was actually annoyed with herself for how Natsu made her react. _Why am I blushing_? She asked herself, as she remembered his closeness.

"Lucy?" Gray stared down at her, but she just shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"Yes Gray?"

"Did something happen between you and him? I know you said later, but he keeps staring at you. He looks at you like a kid that has a new shiny toy. It was like this during the ceremony too."

"R-Really?" Lucy stammered. _Natsu's been staring at me_? Lucy didn't know why that thought suddenly made her heart skip.

"Yeah and I don't like it." Gray huffed. "If you need me to put him in his place, I would be more than happy to. I care about you and don't trust that guy."

"No don't worry about it." She objected, smiling softly. "I won't ever see him again after tonight." She finished quietly.

The two continued to dance together for the next three songs. Lucy told Gray she needed to check on Levy after the third song ended. He nodded saying he'll go grab them something to drink. Lucy found Levy, finishing a dance with Wendy.

"Need a break?" She asked.

"Yes!" Levy looped her arm with Lucy's. "I could really use a bathroom right now." She whispered into Lucy's ear.

"Wendy, I'm going with Lucy for a bit. We'll dance some more when I get back." She winked.

"Okay sis!" Wendy agreed, skipping to Gajeel and the two began to dance.

Levy and Lucy exited the ballroom using the back entrance. Taking the hallway on their right, they walked down past several rooms. Lucy guided Levy to a door on their left, entering the room.

"I set this room up for your use throughout the night. It's not that far from the ballroom so in case you needed a restroom or a breather you can get to it quickly." Lucy explained.

"Lu you always think of everything." Levy hugged her friend. "I'm lucky to have you as my best friend."

"I'm the lucky one Levy." Lucy hugged Levy back.

Lucy helped Levy into the restroom, holding her dress while she did her business. Circling her friend, Lucy made sure nothing was out of place before exiting the bathroom.

"Are you alright? Is there anything you need before we go back to the ballroom? A breather?" Lucy asked, eyeing her friend. Levy laughed and shook her head.

"Actually," She gasped. "I do want hear about this love triangle you're caught in between Natsu and Gray. You didn't tell me anything about that!" Levy pouted giving her friend a pointed glare. Waving her hands frantically, Lucy denied anything was happening between her and Gray, especially between her and Natsu.

"You know Gray and I are just friends Levy. He's like the male equivalent of you," She explained.

"And Natsu? You can't tell me there's nothing going on between you two. I've known him for a while and he has expressed zero entrance in every girl his family has tried to set him up with. And tonight, he can't keep his eyes off of you. I had to pinch myself several times when you two were dancing earlier. Gajeel was even shocked. I mean, we all thought he was gay!" Lev threw her hands up in the air expressing how sure she was that Natsu preferred men and the shock that the opposite was true.

"I mean, we told him it didn't matter to us if he was in case he was afraid to come out. I mean his dads are gay, so you would think he would feel comfortable. His family even set him up on a blind date with a man to show their approval. After that he insisted he wasn't gay, but his parents still weren't sure. We were even taking bets on when he would finally come out."

"Seriously? It seems like you're really close with his family to know all this." Lucy noticed.

"Is this jealously already?" Levy joked.

"N-No," Lucy denied. "I just never heard you mention him before. And I never saw him at any of your parties."

"Well it's not like you come to _all_ our parties Lu. And I only really all know this because of Gajeel. His family and Natsu's family are really close. His family would always be there when we went to see Gajeel's family during holidays. Natsu was there a few times, but he's mostly working. Plus, he doesn't live around here." Levy clarified. "He lives in London."

"Oh, I guess that explains that." She replied. Looking at her watch, Lucy gasped. "Oh we got to get back. It's almost time to cut the cake!"

Lucy led Levy back to the ballroom where guests were still dancing and enjoying themselves. Gajeel was sitting at their table, with Natsu and Wendy and two others. It took Lucy a minute to remember they were Wendy's and Gajeel's parents, Metalicana and Grandeeney Redfox. They all seemed to be laughing and having a good time. A flash of a memory came to Lucy's mind, but she brushed it away. Those memories were best forgotten.

"I better go say hi. It's been so hectic I've barely spoken to my new in-laws." Levy remarked as she moved in their direction.

"Yeah that's best. I'll tell the MC to call you and Gajeel in 10 minutes for cake, okay?" Lucy suggested.

"Rodger that!" Levy called over her shoulder as she walked away.

Making her way to the DJ's booth, the MC was conversing with the DJ about some song suggestions to keep the party going. He saw Lucy and wiggled the mike in his hand.

"Time for cake, right?" He inquired.

"We need to push it back by 10 minutes. The bride and groom need a minute." She declared.

"Okay no problem; just say the word and I'll do my thing." The MC made an exaggerated motion with the mike, emphasizing his readiness.

"W-Will do," She replied, stepping away from the MC, and bumping into someone. "S-Sorry!"

"Relax, it's just me Lucy," Gray reassured. "Here, I got you a drink."

"Ah thanks Gray!" Lucy took the drink he offered her, sipping on the cold alcohol. "That's just what I needed. So what have you been doing since I've been gone?"

"Being cornered by everyone woman here," He exasperated. "Everyone seems to believe I'm some ultra-rich, shy, emotional bachelor secretly looking for the girl of my dreams among the guests here."

"Wow that's pretty funny," Lucy admitted laughing.

"Uh no," Gray grimaced. "Apparently, my only turn-off is blondes. So all the blondes are coming up to me saying they'll dye their hair whatever color I preferred. This is getting insane."

"That's strangely specific…" Lucy mumbled, thinking of a particular someone who might have caused these rumors. She sighed, aggravated again. Looking over to where she knew he would be, her eyes met Natsu's across the room. He had been watching her and when their eyes met, he gave her that annoying smirk of his. She looked away quickly, pretending she didn't see anything. Even though she couldn't see him, she knew that he was still staring at her, smirking.

"I can announce the cake now Lucy?" the MC asked behind her. She checked her watch and sure enough the 10 minutes were up.

"Yeah go ahead." She confirmed.

"Ladies and gentlemen," The MC began as the music dimmed out. "It is now time for the bride and groom to cut the cake! Please make space for our lovely couple on the dance floor." He said, his words echoing around the room. Gajeel took Levy's hand and led her to the dance floor. The front doors of the ballroom opened, and two waiters wheeled in a 4 tiered wedding cake, with mini-figurines of Gajeel and Levy on top. Everyone clapped as it was wheeled in front of the couple. One of the waiters handed Gajeel a knife. He grabbed Levy's waist, guiding her in front of him as the pair held the knife together, cutting into the bottom tier of the cake. As they fed pieces of cake to one another, Lucy thought Gajeel might smash the piece in Levy's face. Yet, he simply popped it into her mouth as Levy reached up and did the same to him. The second waiter, gave each of them a glass flute filled with champagne. Typically, the bride and groom were supposed to intertwine their arms and drink the champagne, but the height difference between Gajeel and Levy was making it awkward. Gajeel swept Levy up, holding her with one arm completing the task.

"Ah isn't that great ladies! Gajeel helping his bride in a manly way." The MC commented watching the event. The guests simply applauded shouting and hooting in response. The waiters took over cutting the rest of the cake, distributing pieces to the guests. More waiters spilled into the ballroom, carrying trays of flute glasses, filled with bubbly champagne.

"Now it's time to hear a few words from those closest to this lovely couple. Will the maid-of-honor please come to the mike for her speech?" The MC called for Lucy.

"Be right back," She told Gray, walking back to the MC. He gave her the mike and smiled encouragingly. Lucy had tried to prepare a speech, but decided it would be best to let the emotion of the evening inspire her words.

"Levy. You are the first true girl friend I've ever had. When we first met, I was distant and didn't really know how to be a friend. Yet, you taught me what true friendship is. You've encouraged me, cried with me, laughed with me-no matter the circumstances you were by my side. We share so many memories; it would be unfair to put the guests through a long list of our inside jokes, so I'll spare everyone here." The crowd laughed and Lucy continued. "Levy you are so special to me, I would do anything for you. I always thought that in order for someone to be worthy enough of your love and my approval, he would need to be as special as you are. However, I've come to realize –thanks to Gajeel-that such a guy doesn't exist."

"Hey bunny girl, what you tryin' to say? I'm not good enough for Levy?" Gajeel interrupted, obviously annoyed.

"No. Let me finish," She assured him. "I realized there is no one who could be as special as Levy. In order to be worthy of Levy's love and my approval, Levy needed to be as special to that person as she is to me. Wait, no she needed to be more special in his eyes. And Gajeel, I know without a doubt that that is the case with you."

"Oh! Well, thanks bun-Lucy." Gajeel nodded his thanks.

"Levy I know Gajeel is the one for you, the one who sees you as his most special person, the one person on this planet that can surpass me in caring about you. The love between the two of you is evident. I'm beyond happy for you, and only wish for your continued happiness together. Thank you Gajeel for always being the man I hoped would find Levy. You cherish her and love her and protect her smile always. For that, you'll always have my respect, my approval, and my love. I love you Lev'. " She raised her drink high towards them, a few tears spilling from her eyes. "To the bride and to the groom, to their happiness, to their love, and to their future" She finished. The guests cheered and raised their glasses, drinking for Levy's and Gajeel's happiness.

Lucy turned to hand the MC the mike again, but Natsu was there taking it from her instead. He quickly draped one arm over her shoulder, trapping her next to him.

"N-Natsu," she stuttered shocked at his closeness.

"How am I supposed to follow a display of emotion like that?" Natsu asked. "Levy you really are making things difficult for me."

"Make it quick, Natsu, I doubt anyone wants to listen to what you have to say anyway," Gajeel laughed, but Levy elbowed him in his side. Undeterred, Natsu continued on with his speech.

"For all of you who don't know, Gajeel and I have known each other since we were kids. Our parents go way back, and though mine aren't here at the moment they send their love for you two. They got held up in Russia. Anyway, I'm not one for grand speeches. I don't have a way with words like blondie over here," He looked down at Lucy, who was stiff by his side. She wanted to break away, but his hold on her was slight but firm. Enduring this closeness was akin to torture for Lucy. She felt his arm draped around her, the muscles underneath his clothes pressed against her side, the cologne he was wearing was making her dizzy with delight. _Too close_. _Too close_. She kept muttering to herself. _Stop smelling him. You're being weird. There is nothing you like about this. Nothing_. She repeated to herself, yet she leaned in a little closer.

"I express myself better with actions anyway. I thought giving you two something would help show you how happy I am Gajeel managed to find someone who would willingly put up with him."

Before Gajeel could say anything, the spotlight lit up on an area in the back of the backroom. A waiter rolled a red draped cart to the dance floor, the spotlight following his progress, situating it in front of Gajeel and Levy. With a dramatic flourish of his hand, the waiter removed the draping and the room made a collected gasp.

"Y-You-"Lucy was at a loss for words. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Natsu just looked down at her and gave her a wink, that stupid smirk on his face.

"Levy. Gajeel goes on and on how much you love languages and books. And Gajeel has always had a weird obsession with metal. Well I present to you the Iron Maidens."

Lucy looked at Levy. Her best friend was crying heavily. They had already opened the lid and she was touching one of the books tenderly. She had known that was how her friend would react. She had known that the gift was perfect for her, for them. It catered to both their interests, so different but merged perfectly together. The precious handcrafted books, the mastery of the iron designs, the mystery, the permanence, the dedication, the love all wrapped up together. That was what the Iron Maidens were. That was what Levy and Gajeel were. It was perfect. Undeniably, the perfect gift.

"I know you already know what they are, and their significance without me explaining them. So mix blondie's words and my gift, and bam! A fired up speech and presentation. Now cheers!" The room exploded into applause, Gajeel and Levy crossed the dance floor to Natsu and Lucy. Levy threw her arms around Lucy, Natsu finally letting her go, hugging and crying, thanking her for her kinds words and for everything else she had done tonight. Gajeel slapped Natsu on the back, grinning down at him. Gajeel then turned to Lucy, and they nodded again at one another, their unspoken words of respect held in their gaze. Levy unhooked herself from Lucy and hugged Natsu quickly, thanking him for his gift.

"I knew you were a treasure hunter, but this is just so unreal." Levy breathed, still caught in the excitement. "The Iron Maidens are one of the rarest books in the world."

"And now they're yours." Natsu grinned.

"Treasure hunter?" Lucy asked, staring at Natsu.

"Yeah, that's why he's never around. He goes around hunting treasure for people." Gajeel explained.

"I keep the rarest treasures for myself though." Natsu smirked and looked at Lucy.

The music picked back up and people started dancing again. Levy went back to the Iron Maidens, wanting to pour over the pages that second. Gajeel grumbled that Natsu should have given those to her after the wedding. He didn't respond but just laughed instead as Gajeel went to his bride.

"Oi, Blondie." Natsu said after Gajeel had walked away. "We still need to finish our dance."

"That wasn't dancing." She objected.

"Oh?" He closed the distance between them "What would you call it then?"

"Kidnapping." She proclaimed.

He stepped closer to Lucy, his hands in his pockets, leaning towards her. "If I took you, you would never call it kidnapping. I promise you would definitely come willingly." His eyes stared into hers, her heart skipped again. _Too close. So close_. She could see herself reflected in his onyx eyes. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were wide, her lips slightly parted. Despite herself, she felt she was leaning towards him. _Why did he have to smell so good_? She moaned inside.

"Lucy dance with me!" Wendy's voice snapped Lucy back to attention. She stepped away from Natsu, her breathing a little labored.

"W-Wendy." She managed, after realizing that the child was standing before her. "Okay." She let herself be led back onto the dance floor, trying to resist the urge to not look back. Yet, she peaked over her shoulder, Natsu smirking as he watched her go.

The night passed with more dancing. Wendy and Lucy danced for two songs, Gray found her again and took the third before he was swept away by a woman Lucy had never seen before. Levy and Lucy danced next, giggling and laughing as they jumped to the music. It was a great party as those gathered danced well into the night. Yet, Lucy still found herself catching the gaze of a particular pink haired man with those piercing onyx eyes.

"It's that time where the bride and groom will now make their departure. Before they go, we asked that all available ladies come to the dance floor! It's time for the bouquet toss." The MC yelled loudly into his mike. Soon the dance floor was filled with bustling single women, trying to catch the coveted prize of the night; the hope to be the next one wed. Lucy tried to remove herself from the crowd. Marriage was not in her future at the moment. Nor did she ever expect it to be. The woman were shoving and jostling one another that it made it difficult to move. Sighing, she gave up and tried to just move with the flow of silk clad women.

"Alright here I go!" Levy yelled as she turned her back to the gathered women. She leaned her body forward, and tossed it behind her with all her might.

The women sprang into action, pushing and shoving, trying to catch the bouquet. Lucy just focused on surviving. To her right, she noticed a particularly large woman was throwing herself in the path of the flowers, launching her body towards Lucy. There was no way to dodge her, since she was pressed against the others. She closed her eyes, waiting for the pain of the collision. Instead, she felt herself be pushed out of the way roughly from behind. Lucy was thrown out of the chaos of silk, estrogen, and desperation and into strong arms.

"Caught yah," A familiar voice proclaimed.

"Natsu." Lucy whispered staring up at him. She was vaguely aware of a woman breaking from the riot she had escaped, her dress slightly torn but a look of triumph on her face as she held the bouquet. The rest of the events blurred together. Gajeel scooping Levy up and exiting the ballroom, the guests following after them. Gray emerging from the back of the crowd, claiming her arm as he led her away. Looking back at him, with his spiky pink hair, his stupid smirk, his hands stuffed into his pockets, watching her as she watched him. This would be the last time they would see each other. She had sworn that she would never see him again. This wedding was a weird exception. Hadn't she wanted this? Hadn't she wanted to put distance and time away from them? She watched him until she could see him no more. He would go off back to London. Then who knows where, hunting treasure around the world. She would go back to running her business in New York. The same routine as always. The same routine that lacked pink hair and smirks.

 _Caught yah_? His voice echoed in her mind.

"You promise?" She whispered, so quietly that no one would hear. Natsu had sworn he always kept his promises and so had she. But now, Lucy wanted to break hers.


	3. Chapter 3

"Let's call it a day. I'll make my final notes on the manuscripts and cover designs over the weekend. We'll review them on Monday and discuss moving forward on these projects then." Lucy stood, pushing back her chair from the table. The rest of her team followed suit. "Thank you for the hard work." She said, as her team collected their respective papers and left the conference room. It was the final meeting of the day, concluding a very busy week. Lucy grabbed her phone and the portfolios she needed to review before heading back to her office.

Urano Metria was the name of the publishing company Lucy had started 5 years ago. She had used the success from her first books, _The Star Lovers Series_ to start her company. In a few short years, Urano Metria became one of the most well-known publishing companies in the nation. In the early days of her success, one reporter had dubbed her "Lucky Lucy" and the nickname stuck. It had been a risky endeavor, but all the hard work she put in with her team helped to pull it off.

"Any messages Virgo?" She asked her secretary.

"A Miss Wendy Redfox left you a message ma'am," Virgo Starr handed Lucy a small slip of paper, with her eloquent script scrawled across it. She was a beautiful woman with short, pink hair and blue eyes. Taking the paper, Lucy quickly read Wendy's message. _Lily is back home. See you on Monday. Thanks_!

"Oh I forgot," Lucy gasped. Wendy and her family were watching Gajeel's and Levy's cat while they were still on their honeymoon. Yet, they had planned a weekend trip and had asked Lucy to watch Lily. Since her apartment didn't allow pets, she was going to stay at Levy's place for the weekend.

"I knew you might be busy ma'am, so I had a bag prepared for you," Virgo produced a large overnight bag and handed it to Lucy. "You'll find all the essentials you will need, plus emergency items."

"Thank you Virgo," Lucy smiled, taking the bag though a little wary at what constituted as "emergency items." "You're always taking care of me." It was the truth. Her pink haired secretary had been with Lucy since the first day she started her company. Virgo had always been there to make the stressful days more bearable. She was irreplaceable as an employee, and had become a dear friend as well.

"It is my pleasure ma'am. I'll have a car waiting for you out front when you're ready to leave." Virgo replied, clicking her headset on to dial a number. Lucy nodded her thanks, before heading to her office to collect the rest of her things. Her office had a great view of the city, overlooking the skyline. On late nights, she could watch the sunset color the glass and steal buildings around her. It was one of the reasons why she had picked this building to house their offices. Her desk was long and white, pictures of her with Levy or her and Gray were framed and placed on top next to an empty blue vase. Lucy loved fresh flowers, but always forgot to buy some. In front of her desk were 3 plush light blue couches; a small coffee table placed between them with a stack of books resting on top. One of the walls in her office was lined with bookshelves, displaying the works of her clients. The opposite wall displayed 5 large panel paintings of the night sky she had commissioned Gray to paint. It was one of her favorite works he had done. When she was stressed, she just needed to look at them to calm down. It felt like she was outside, in the wide expanse of space, surrounded by twinkling lights and stardust.

She grabbed her laptop from her desk, stuffing it in her bag. Picking up her purse and the overnight bag Virgo had prepared for her, she turned off the lights to her office and left. Wishing Virgo a nice weekend, Lucy entered the elevator, before hitting the lobby button. It was a quick ride down the 14 floor building to the lobby. The doors slid open, emitting Lucy to the ground floor. Her heels clicked across the lobby, as she nodded to several people who called out to her. The front glass doors, slid apart as Lucy approached. The car Virgo had called for her was waiting in front of the building, the driver in a black pressed suit, dark shades, and matching black cap, stood by to open the door for her. He took her bags, placing them in the trunk, before climbing back into the driver's seat.

"4589 Fairy Hills, please" Lucy directed the driver.

"Yes ma'am" the driver responded as he started the car, pulling away from the sidewalk and into the flow of traffic. Levy's and Gajeel's apartment wasn't that far from where Lucy worked, so it was a quick drive. She was looking forward to spending the weekend nestled in the guest room's bed, snuggled up with Lily and reading a book. A quiet weekend was all she wanted after the dizzying array of meetings and business calls she had done that week. Pulling up in front of a large apartment complex, the driver stopped the car. He removed her bags from the trunk and opened her door, helping her step onto the sidewalk.

"Would you like me to carry these up to the room ma'am?" The driver asked.

"Oh no, but thank you. They have an elevator and they're not that heavy." She took the bags from the driver, quickly reaching into her purse to give him his fare and tip. He thanked her, tipping his hat slightly before retreating back into the car and pulling away to his next destination.

Lucy shifted the bags on her shoulder and entered the building. Levy's and Gajeel's apartment was on the top floor. Gajeel had this paranoia of people living above him. He didn't like hearing people walk across their apartments, or drop things. The first floor lobby also housed the mailboxes for each resident. Walking to the right, Lucy fished out the keys Levy had given her and opened the box labeled Redfox. Grabbing the mail, she stuffed it into her purse before hitting the up button for the elevator. It arrived with a chime and Lucy got in and pressed the button for the 23rd floor. The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Lucy stepped out of the elevator and onto the small entrance way in front of the apartment. The apartment complex was set up so that every floor had only one apartment occupying the space. Grabbing Levy's keys again, Lucy chose the one for the front door. Unlocking the door, Lucy entered the apartment and sighed. She always loved coming to Levy's apartment. It was a great space full of natural light from the large windows that lined the walls. It was obvious that Levy lived there; there were books towering in corners and stuffed on bookshelves. Lucy couldn't turn anywhere without seeing a book. Setting the mail on the counter, Lucy went to drop her things off in the guest bedroom. The guestroom was where Lucy normally slept when she came to stay with Levy when Gajeel went out of town on business. It had a full-sized bed, dressed in a yellow comforter and two big fluffy pillows. There was a light tan armchair in the corner, next to the window, allowing large amounts of natural light to fill the space. A bookcase was situated next to the chair, still stuffed with Levy's books. A dresser lined the wall opposite of the bed, and pictures of her and Levy smiled back at Lucy. There was a door that led to the bathroom, which Lucy looked at longingly.

A meow drew her attention to the bed, which was messed up. Lily was snuggled amongst the comforters, his chocolate brown body in contrast against the yellow. Lucy set her computer bag, purse and overnight bag on the armchair, before stoking the cat's soft fur. "Time for a nice hot bath and comfy pajamas," She declared as she entered the adjoining bathroom. "Then you and I can snuggle together," She called over her shoulder to Lily.

The bathroom had a sink with a mirror over it and a cabinet beneath it, a toilet, a bath-shower combo, a towel rack on the wall with light green and white striped towels on it, and soft light green bath rugs on the floor. Lucy stripped, taking off her business clothes not caring if the material was wrinkled. She turned on the faucet, the hot water filling the basin. She reached under the cabinet and grabbed a piece of a Lush soap bar. The water filled with lovely fragrant bubbles as the bar dissolved into the water. Turning off the faucet, Lucy eased herself into the warm water. She sighed loudly, reveling in the soapy comfort. _Wine and candles would make this heavenly_. She thought.

When the water turned cold, Lucy finally emerged. It had felt too good to leave. She could feel her stress melt away. Wrapping a towel around her, Lucy walked back into the bedroom. Lily's brown tail poked out from beneath the covers. Tiptoeing quietly, she wanted to cuddle with the cat before it ran away. She jumped onto the bed, her arms reaching for the cat. Lily quickly jumped out her reach, sending Lucy crashing into the covers. She tumbled off the bed and onto the floor, her towel coming loose. Lily stared at her before meowing and walking away.

"Hey-" She started, before the comforters started to move.

"Gajeel I'm gonna kill you for waking me up," a voice spoke from beneath the moving comforter. Lucy screamed, as she was knocked off the comforter. She stared wildly as a tuff of pink spiky hair peaked through, and then Natsu's onyx glare emerged once he was freed from the tangled covers. He stared at her, his glare shifting to a shocked expression.

"Blondie?"

"Na-Natsu?"

The two stared at one another, in shock to be in each other's presence. It had been 3 weeks since the wedding. Lucy had tried throwing herself into her work and her regular routine to forget about him. It had worked, and not once had she thought about the pink haired guy or his stupid grin. Yet, one look at him now, she was back at the wedding. Remembering his intense gaze, his strong arms, his voice whispering in her ear, the smell of his cologne, the feeling she got when he was close to her.

"If you wanted to crawl into bed with me, all you had to do was ask." Natsu was the first to recover from the shock. A smirk spreading across his face as he stared at her. It made Lucy remember how much that irritated her, allowing her to overcome the shock as well.

"Like I would ever do that with you," She snapped, glaring at him. Yet, her annoyance only seemed to make him smirk more.

"Well when a naked woman climbs into my bed, what am I supposed to think?" He asked innocently. Lucy was about to retort, but his words stopped her. Looking down, she realized her towel had slipped away from her. Squeaking, she hurriedly covered her chest with her arms. Her cheeks flamed with embarrassment.

"Close your eyes," She yelled, looking up at him. He met her gaze, holding it for a second longer before obediently closing his eyes. Lucy grabbed most of the comforter and wrapped it around herself. She stood up quickly, trying to grab her overnight bag. Her feet tangled in the comforter in her haste, causing her to crash onto the floor again.

"Ow,"she muttered, trying to pick herself off the floor. She felt strong arms wrap around her, lifting her up. Her face was pressed against his bare chest, and Lucy could see the definition of his muscles.

"You're such a weirdo," Natsu said as he set her down. "I'll go to the living room while you get dressed."

Natsu padded to the door, closing it as he left. Lucy felt her face redden at the close contact. He had seen her naked. The very thought of it made her feel all jittery inside. She was so embarrassed, she wadded up the yellow comforter and screamed into it. Grabbing her overnight bag, she quickly dumped the contents onto the bed. She selected a plain white t-shirt and some long pajama bottoms, Virgo had packed. Throwing on her undergarments and her clothes, Lucy went to the living room.

Natsu was there lounging on one of the couches, petting Lily. She watched him for a moment; her eyes tracing his exposed muscles until she got to his black pants. Shaking her head, she mentally scolded herself for getting carried away. Looking up, Natsu was staring at her. His eyes quickly looked her over, before he smirked.

"I like this look too," He stated. Rolling her eyes, she sat across from him in one of the armchairs. She crossed her arms across her chest, still feeling exposed.

"Why are you here?" She asked.

"I always stay here when I'm in New York" He replied. "It's much nicer than staying in a hotel. Plus, Levy can cook."

"Well you can't stay here," Lucy objected. "I'm watching Lily since Gajeel's parents are out of town with Wendy. You're going to have to find a hotel or stay with someone else."

Natsu stretched on the couch; Lily jumped off and sat on Lucy's lap. "Nah, I'm good." He said, closing his eyes.

"Did you hear me?" Lucy asked. "You have to leave."

"I heard you, but it doesn't mean I'm going to listen to you." He replied. "Besides, I was here first Blondie."

She huffed dramatically, rolling her eyes in frustration. _He can't be serious_. Lucy wondered.

"There's no way I'm staying here alone with a stranger," Lucy protested.

"Hey," Natsu said, opening an eye to look at her. "I'm no stranger, plus Lily's here. You're not alone." He reasoned.

"You are still a stranger," She informed him.

"So if I wasn't a stranger anymore this wouldn't be a problem, right?" He asked, his eyebrow lifting and his smirk returning.

"I don't know anything about you and you know nothing about me. That constitutes us as strangers. And I plan on keeping it that way." Lucy huffed.

"I know you're a liar," He responded.

"What? How can you say that?" She snapped. Lucy always gave her word and kept it. Calling her a liar was one of the worst insults someone could give her.

"You promised you would never see me again, but now you've seen me twice" Natsu clarified. "That makes you a liar."

"Th-that's different," She stuttered. "I didn't know you would be at the wedding and I didn't know you would be here. These were involuntary instances of contact, which doesn't make me a liar. Also, Levy didn't tell me you would be here, otherwise I wouldn't have-"

"Tried to seduce me by climbing into the bed naked?" Natsu offered.

"Shut up!"

Natsu laughed as he sat up and stretched. "That was a nice surprise to wake up to though."

"Just forget you saw anything," She muttered.

"That's something I can't promise," Natsu smiled.

A ring cut Lucy off from responding. She recognized it as her ringtone. Getting up from the armchair, disturbing Lily's resting place, Lucy shot Natsu a glare before walking back to the guest room. Fishing her phone out of her purse, she smiled when she saw the number.

"Hey Gray!" She answered happily.

"It's been awhile since we've seen each other Lucy," Gray's voice sounded through the phone. _It was true_ , Lucy thought. After the wedding, they both had gotten really busy with their respective jobs. A couple text messages between them was really the only correspondence either of them had with each other.

"Sorry, work was crazy these past few weeks," She explained.

"Well are you doing anything tonight?" He asked. "I caught up on my work, so I'm free this weekend. We can go see a play and grab some dinner afterwards or vice versa or whatever you want to do." Gray offered.

Lucy had wanted to spend a nice quiet weekend at Levy's, but a certain pink haired monster was prohibiting that. Plus, she did want to spend time with Gray. With Levy gone, Gray was really the only friend she hung out with.

"Sure, that sounds gr-" The phone was snatched out of her hands by someone behind her. Turning around quickly, she saw Natsu look at the caller I.D. and grimace.

"Oi," He yelled into the phone. "She already made plans. Too bad. Have a nice night, princess."

"Hey," Lucy protested as Natsu hung up the phone. "What the hell do you think you're doing? I never made plans with you." She reached up, trying to retrieve her phone from him, but he held it higher out of her reach.

"You said we were strangers. We're going to correct that tonight," He said matter-of-factly as he pushed her phone into the pocket of his dark jeans.

"I'm not going anywhere with you. Give me my phone back." She demanded.

Natsu just smirked in response. "Go out with me and I promise I'll give you your phone back." He offered.

"You're serious. Aren't you?"

"I always keep my promises," He assured her. Lucy was torn. She didn't want to give in to his demands, but a part of her, a very small part of her she decided, wanted to see where he would take her. Plus, she needed her phone back to explain the situation to Gray.

"Fine," She agreed.

Natsu just nodded, as if he knew she would agree. He padded to the corner of the room where a dark blue bag was placed. Lucy hadn't noticed it when she first entered the room. He opened it and pulled out a black t-shirt, similar to the one she first saw him in. She watched him as he dressed, momentarily fascinated by his muscles. A flash of a design on his right shoulder caught her attention, but his shirt covered it up before she could make out what it was. For some reason, that bothered her. He reached under the bed and grabbed his shoes, slipping them on.

"Okay, I'm ready," Natsu proclaimed. "How long do you need to change?" Lucy's phone started to ring again, and Natsu reached into his pocket to retrieve it. He simply powered it off and placed it back in his pocket.

"Not that long. I don't have very many options," Lucy stated.

"When you're finished I'll be waiting in the living room." Natsu walked out of the room, but stopped before closing to the door to look back at her. "I might suggest not wearing some of those outfits tonight though," He motioned towards the contents on the bed. "I don't feel like fighting tonight."

Lucy looked at him confused, her gaze shifting to the clothes on the bed. She had dumped out the contents Virgo had packed for her earlier, in her haste to find some clothes. She had not realized all that her secretary had put in there. To her horror, lacy lingerie was scattered across the bed along with other clothes. Her faced instantly flushed. Natsu just laughed as he closed the door behind him. Lucy grabbed a pillow and screamed her embarrassment into it. She reached for her overnight bag, quickly stuffing the "emergency items" into it.

"Virgo," She moaned, mentally noting to have a strong talk with her secretary. Lucy changed out of her pajamas and selected a plain light pink halter dress and light grey ballet flats that laced up slightly above her ankles. Luckily, Virgo had thought to pack accessories as well. She selected a long rose gold necklace weighted down by a tiny star. There was a rose-gold bracelet in the shape of a cut-out cuff that she situated on her right arm. Grabbing her makeup bag from her purse, Lucy went into the bathroom to apply some light makeup. She brushed out her long blonde hair, and swept it up into a low side pony tail. _If I'm going out, I have to dress up a bit_. She reasoned with herself. _It's not for him or anything_. Satisfied with her outfit and appearance, Lucy grabbed her purse and left the room.

Natsu was playing with Lily when she walked in. He looked up at her and stopped. She felt a little self-conscious as his gaze slowly roamed over her. She watched as his smirk widen when their eyes met.

"Let's get this over with," Lucy said, trying to ignore how her heart quickened as she opened the door and called for the elevator.

"Don't wait up for us Lily," Natsu whispered to the feline, giving the cat one last pet before following Lucy. He locked the front door behind him as the elevator arrived. It chimed opened and the pair entered. Lucy pressed the lobby button, keeping as much distance from him as possible. She was only doing this to get her phone back; she kept reminding herself. The elevator opened and the pair exited the building. It was a little after 7 when they went out. The sky was in the early stages of evening. The busy street filling with cars and taxis, pedestrians going out to enjoy the night or heading home.

"I'll hail a cab," Lucy said, walking to edge of the sidewalk, lifting her arm to get a cab driver's attention.

"No need," Natsu stated as he grabbed her hand, pulling it down. He didn't let go as he led her around the corner where a black car waited. As they approached, the front door opened revealing a man in a black suit, black shoes, and black cap. For a minute, Lucy thought it was her driver from earlier, but she realized it couldn't be for this man was much taller. He opened the door for them, and Natsu gestured Lucy to get in. As soon as she was settled, Natsu gave a few directions to the driver who nodded in response. Natsu slid in after Lucy, closing the door behind him. The driver returned to his seat, pulling away from the curb and into the flow of traffic.

"Where are we going?" Lucy wondered.

"To dinner," He responded.

"Okay, where are we going for dinner?" Lucy asked rolling her eyes.

"To a place with good food," He said simply.

"What's with all the mystery?" She asked, getting more annoyed by his vagueness.

"Just trust me Blondie," He grinned.

"Trust you. I don't even know you. You're still a str-"

"A stranger. Sure. But that's the point of all of this," Natsu motioned with his hands towards her. "For us to get to know each other, so you can stop calling me that."

"A stranger?"

"Yeah. It bothers me when you say it Blondie," He admitted, looking away from her. Lucy was a little shocked. His tone was serious, and not with his usual confident attitude. He meant it. Both were silent for a while. Lost in their own thoughts. The car stopped and the driver stepped out of the car.

"Looks like we're here," Natsu finally said as the driver opened the passenger door. Natsu stepped out and turned around offering her his hand. "Blondie let's go."

She took his offered hand and stepped out of the car. He held onto her hand as he started walking towards the restaurant, but Lucy didn't budge. He looked back at her, slightly confused. She shook her head and looked at him smiling.

"Lucy Heartfilia" She responded after a moment. "If you don't want me to call you a stranger then call me by my name."

The smile Natsu gave her made her heart squeeze violently. It wasn't a smirk or a smug grin, but a true brilliant smile that lit up his face. He didn't look arrogant or brash. Natsu was dazzling for a moment. She stood staring in shock that he could make such an expression.

"Come on then, Lucy," He turned back around, leading her towards the building. She let herself be led away, her heart loosening a little when he looked away.

The restaurant was on the top floor of the building, looking stunning and extremely expensive. Though she was dressed nicely, she felt underdressed the moment she stepped in. Natsu led her towards the back of the restaurant, not bothering to wait on the host at the entrance. He picked a table in front of the floor-to ceiling windows that provided them a startling gorgeous view of the city. Pulling out a plush tan chair, Natsu motioned for Lucy to sit. Once she was situated, he moved his chair closer to sit on her left, not obstructing the view of the skyline. A waiter appeared lighting the two candles that were sprouting out of the center piece made of red roses that stood out against the pure white tablecloth. Looking around, Lucy felt like she was in a dream. Everywhere she looked, it was sparking and dazzling. The atmosphere of the place was bright and welcoming, though intimating due to the richness of the décor. It reminded her of another life, but it never shone like this.

Natsu stared at Lucy as she gaped at the decadence. He rested his elbow on the table, cupping his cheek as he watched her silently take in their surroundings.

"I told you to trust me," He chuckled.

"This-This…" Lucy was at a loss for words.

"Mr. Dragneel," a man dressed in an impeccably white suit came walking towards them. "I am so honored you will be dining with us this evening. I apologize I didn't greet you sooner. I was just informed of your arrival. Please allow me to personally oversee that your evening at Etherion is nothing less than perfection."

"Natsu," He corrected. "But thanks Hammond" Natsu said, not even looking at the man. "But no need to kiss up. I'm enjoying my evening tonight, not evaluating your performance."

Hammond seemed to visibly relax for a moment, before masking his emotions again.

"Of course, Mr…erhm…N-Natsu." Hammond replied. "Nevertheless, it's not every day that the owner of our fine establishment graces us with his presence."

Natsu stiffened looking slightly annoyed as he turned to Hammond. "Right. But like I said, I just want to enjoy my evening here. Treat me like a _regular_ customer." Natsu stressed the word "regular" expressing his meaning to Hammond.

"Certainly. Certainly sir." Hammond quickly placed a menu in front of each of them. "I'll give you a few moments to look over the menu, but would you like to start off with an appetizer this evening?" He asked, rubbing his hands together nervously.

"Chef's choice," Natsu ordered.

Hammond's eyes widened and nodded. "Of course, I'll speak to him at once. I'll give you a few moments to look over the menu and decide on your orders." The man retreated quickly to the kitchens to deliver Natsu's request.

"E-Etherion?" Lucy stammered once Hammond was gone. "You own Etherion? I thought you were a treasure hunter."

Natsu sighed, picking up his menu, looking over the dishes. "Good food is considered a treasure. It's hard to find now a days," He answered.

"But this is one of the top restaurants in the world to eat at! It has at least a 2 year wait list. I've been trying to get a reservation to entertain some business clients for months, but you even have royalty on your wait list. I can't believe you're the owner of Etherion."

"Does that change anything?" Natsu asked looking away from his menu and towards her. Lucy thought for a moment. She believed he had some degree of wealth, since he was able to offer so much for the Iron Maidens without even blinking an eye. She thought his treasure hunting business was something he did for fun, something to pass the time and spend his money. Yet, she hadn't realized that he could turn it into such a lucrative business.

"No," She responded. "Should it?"

"No," He said smiling to himself as he turned back to his menu. Lucy picked up her menu and scanned the different items. Her mouth drooled just reading the descriptions. She couldn't believe she was going to taste such amazing dishes.

"Are you ready to order tonight?" Hammond returned, ready to receive their orders.

"I'll have the Fourchu Lobster," Natsu ordered.

"The Blue Fin Tuna for me, please," Lucy smiled at Hammond as he took their menus.

"Excellent choices," He chimed. "I'll place your orders in right away and here comes your appetizer."

"Oysters with Almas White Caviar," A waiter described as he set down the appetizer in between Lucy and Natsu. "With Salon Blanc de Blancs, 1966." He opened the bottle of wine with one motion of his hand, pouring the aged wine into their clear glasses. "Enjoy." The waiter placed the wine bottle in an ice container, before retreating from their table with Hammond, allowing Natsu and Lucy to enjoy their appetizer.

Her eyes widened at the delicacy that was set before her. It was sparkling. It looked too good to eat. The oysters were served on a chilled clear blue plate, lined four in a row. Their exposed shells neatly held the oyster meat, along with the dollop of caviar that looked like tiny gold beads. The whole effect reminded her of glittering sunken treasure.

"Eat," Natsu demanded as he took an oyster from the dish. "It tastes much better than it looks." He ate one of the oysters emphasizing his words. Though she doubted him, Lucy didn't have to be told twice. She selected an oyster that was topped with a delicate amount of caviar, tipping back the contents into her mouth. She could fill tears filling her eyes as the flavor burst inside her mouth.

"It's so good," She moaned in delight. Natsu blinked a few times at the sound she made, before chuckling softly.

"Please, have some more," He pushed the plate closer to her. She selected another oyster, savoring the flavors. She moaned again. It was just so heavenly. Natsu laughed as he took the last oyster, tipping it back against his lips.

Lucy grabbed her wine glass, swirling the liquid and sipped its contents. With the taste of the oyster and caviar still coating her tongue, the chilled wine was a great compliment to the flavors. It was one of the best things she had ever tasted.

"So now I know you like oysters and caviar and by the state of your empty glass, fine wine as well." Natsu said, refilling her glass.

"I didn't know wine was supposed to taste like that," Lucy responded, a little embarrassed that she had drunk her wine so quickly. "I've had some expensive wines before, but nothing like that. I think it's kinda spoiled my tastes though."

Natsu lifted his eyebrow as he picked his glass up. "How so?"

"Well now when I drink the wine I have at home, I'm going to be comparing it to this," She laughed, motioning to the wine bottle.

"Is that so," He sipped his wine, staring at her as if he was calculating something. "I wonder what other things I can spoil for you."

Lucy hastily took a sip of her wine, looking away from Natsu and his intensive gaze. Her heart was beating crazily. _Calm down. Calm down. It's just Natsu. Calm down_. She repeated to herself.

"So-So why are you in New York? There can't be interesting treasure here?" She gestured toward the grand view of the night skyline, with the many lights, outline the dark towering skyscrapers. When Lucy thought of treasure, she thought of ancient cities, hidden temples, and undersea adventures. She stared out the window, looking at the city she called home. New York would be the last place she would think to go hunting for the exotic. Everything was too new, too modern, too structured. With the exception of the Iron Maidens New York didn't seem to have any treasure for the taking.

"I wouldn't say that," Natsu stated, causing Lucy to look back at him. He was still staring at her with that intense gaze of his. The one that pulled her in, making her want to lean closer towards him. His onyx eyes seemed to burn, as if he was fire on the inside. They glistened with secrets and promises and Lucy wanted to continue to stare into them to figure them out.

"The Blue Fin Tuna, ma'am" Hammond broke the tension between them as he placed the dish in front of her. "The Fourchu Lobster, sir," He set Natsu's dish in front of him, smiling with anticipation. "Does everything look to be to your satisfaction tonight?"

"It looks wonderful Hammond," Lucy beamed at Hammond who returned her smile.

"Yeah looks great," Natsu responded already cutting into the soft lobster meat.

"Well please enjoy. If there is anything else you might require, please let me know." He bowed slightly before walking away.

Lucy picked up her fork and knife and cut the lightly seared fish into a delicate bite, swiping it across the sauce it came with before placing it in her mouth. She had thought that the appetizer was heavenly, but this was otherworldly. Natsu and Lucy fell into a comfortable conversation as they progressed through their meals. He told her he had just returned from China after finding a vase for a client who lived in New York. He had delivered it early this morning and went to sleep off some of his jet lag at Gajeel's and Levy's apartment when she found him. The client had contacted him right after the wedding and he was on the plane that night. It had taken him a couple weeks to locate it and secure it. Now he was enjoying a little down time before he agrees to anymore offers.

"Will you be staying in New York long?" Lucy asked, trying to ask in a way that made it seem she didn't care whether or not he stayed. Their plates had been removed, and they were finishing off their wine.

"Would you like me to?" He questioned her back, lifting his eyebrow and giving her his signature smirk.

"I was just asking to...to…to see how long you would be at Levy's apartment." Lucy clarified. "I have things to do for work, so I don't need any distractions this weekend."

"Oh. I distract you?" Natsu teased.

"That's not what I meant," She exclaimed, but Natsu just laughed, standing from the table. He walked behind her chair, leaning down to whisper into Lucy's ear.

"Come with me," He whispered as he pulled her chair out for her, stepping to the side and offering his hand to her. Her cheeks flushed at his closeness. His voice was so alluring, her mind dazed for a moment. Blinking she realized he was waiting on her to respond.

"Okay," She breathed, sliding her hand into his. Momentarily stunned just how easy and right that simple motion felt. They made it to the entrance, the elevator doors chiming open as the two entered. "Wait what about the bill?" She exclaimed as the elevator started to descend.

"I own this place, remember?" Natsu laughed.

The night air was cool on her skin as they exited the building, but Natsu's hand in hers warmed her. She hated to admit it, but she was enjoying herself tonight. They started walking down the street, easily flowing into conversation.

"Hmm. Black," Natsu said answering Lucy's question about his favorite color.

"I should have guessed," She laughed, motioning towards his attire.

"If I guess yours right, do I get a reward?" Natsu wondered.

"You can try."

"Pink," He said confidently.

Lucy was quiet for a moment. She hadn't realized he would guess correctly. "Lucky guess" She muttered.

"Well you look great in it, so it just had to be that," Natsu rationalized.

"Th-Thanks," Lucy blushed. She was starting to realize he made her blush so easily.

"Okay time for my reward," He stopped, turning towards her and looking down into her eyes. Lucy wasn't prepared for what reward he would ask for. Her heart was pounding so loudly she thought he could hear it, which only made her heart beat even more.

"I never agreed to-" She protested.

"You never disagreed either," He objected.

"F-Fine. What do you want," She asked quietly, trying to avoid eye contact with him. He was just so close and it was making things difficult for her. His hand tightened around hers, as he stared down at her. His black eyes pulling her in. He was so close; all she had to do was stand on her tiptoes, lean in and-

"Lift the stranger title," He requested.

"What? That's what you want?" Her mind was going in a different direction and his simple request made her feel slightly disappointed.

"For now," He smirked.

"Okay, you're not a stranger." She huffed.

"Nope," he shook his head at her. "Let's be thorough. You have to repeat after me: Natsu Dragneel is no longer a stranger to me, Lucy Heartfilia."

Lucy rolled her eyes, but smiled as she repeated, "Natsu Dragneel is no longer a stranger to me, Lucy Heartfilia."

"He's my friend" He continued.

"He's my friend" She repeated happily.

"He's my lover."

"He's my l- hey wait a minute!" She protested, but Natsu just laughed out loud tugging at her hand towards the curb, where their car from earlier was parked.

"I almost got away with it," He laughed as they got back into the car.

"As if," Lucy snapped. She scolded herself for letting her get carried away by him. He was still the same narcissistic, smug person she had met in the bookstore weeks ago. She was blushing furiously, remember what she almost said. He was making fun of her and she didn't like it.

"It was a joke Lucy," He said as the driver started heading back into traffic. "We're just friends." Somehow, his words now upset her more than the joke. "Sorry if I upset you."

"I'm not upset," She sighed. "I just don't like those kinds of jokes."

"Noted. I promise to not joke like that again," He replied seriously.

"I have to go back to Lily now," She said after a moment.

"I already told the driver," He replied. She didn't say anything, just nodded, relaxing into the seat. _We're just friends_. She replayed his words in her mind as she stared out the window, wondering how three little words could bother her so much.


	4. Chapter 4

The driver parked the car in front of the apartment building. Natsu opened the passenger door before the driver could get out of his seat. Lucy slid across the seat and exited the car, following after Natsu.

"Have a goodnight Richard," Natsu said waving the driver away. Richard tipped his hat, before climbing back into the car and driving away. Lucy stared at Natsu, confusion on her face.

"Why did you send him away? Don't you need him to take you to a hotel?" She asked, looking at the direction Richard had driven. Now it was Natsu's turn to be confused.

"Why would I need him to do that?" He asked, stuffing his hands into his pockets and walking to the building. Lucy followed after him into the first floor lobby. He had pressed the button, calling for the elevator. It chimed its arrival and he stepped in. Lucy just stood there watching him, even more confused than ever. The doors started to close shut, put Natsu held them apart with his hand, leaning out of the elevator to talk to her.

"Aren't you coming up?" he asked.

"Yeah, but why are you?"

"To go to sleep," He answered shaking his head. "This jet lag is no joke. I'm running on empty at the moment," He admitted. When Lucy still didn't move, he sighed heavily as he reached out of the elevator grabbing her wrist and pulling her in after him. The doors slid shut after she entered.

"Wait. Wait I never said you could stay here?" Her mind started running wild with the thought of them alone for the whole night.

"You said if I wasn't a stranger you wouldn't mind. And as of 20 minutes ago, I'm no longer considered a stranger by you," He smirked as he reminded her.

"Y-You tricked me," She protested.

"Your words not mine," He grinned.

"This is not happening," Lucy demanded as she walked towards the elevator buttons to open the doors.

"Why are you so against me staying here?" He asked stuffing his hands back into his pockets. She turned around, and he stared at her. The smirk of his was gone and his playful tone turned serious. "Do you not like me that much?"

"No. No it's not that. It's just that…" What could she say? She wasn't about to admit that her nerves had been on end all night because of him. Or that she couldn't calm down around him. She wasn't going to tell him that her heart beats faster every time he stares at her. She definitely wasn't going to tell him how her writer's imagination was running away at lightning speed at the thought of them alone together.

"It's nothing," She finally finished. "You can stay as long as you promise not to start any funny business," She declared pointing at him. As quick as his serious tone had arrived, it vanished instantly. Natsu narrowed his eyes seductively and his smirk returned.

"Oh," He said, arching his eyebrow. "You're going to have to be a little more thorough than that." He stepped towards her, causing Lucy to back into the closed doors of the elevator. Natsu leaned towards her, staring predatorily into her eyes. He never removed his gaze as he pressed the top floor button, ascending the elevator. He placed his hands against the elevator doors, slightly above Lucy's head, caging her.

"What type of "funny business" do you mean exactly," He asked, clearly feigning ignorance. Her eyes widen at his closeness. His pink hair brushed against her forehead; she could feel his warm breath against her skin, causing her goose bumps.

"You know what I mean," She managed to get out, concentrating on reminding herself to breathe.

"I really don't," He teased, leaning a little closer. "Define it for me."

"Li-like-Like th-this," She stammered, closing her eyes against his intensity. She felt like she was on fire and turning red all over. She was blushing furiously, her heart was beating faster than it had all night. Lucy didn't think she could take much more of this. He chuckled as he leaned away and removed his hands, stuffing them back into his pockets.

"Fine, I promise not to start any funny business," He exaggerated his last two words, smirking at her reaction. The elevator chimed depositing them onto the top floor. She nearly fell out of the elevator when the doors quickly slid open. Natsu was quick to react, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards him. After his last stunt, Lucy's heart wasn't prepared for the sudden closeness again. Her body instinctively clung to him, leaning against his sturdy exterior. Lucy's eyes widen in shock, both from the fall and the feeling of being wrapped in his arms. Natsu looked down at her, smiling.

"Caught yah," He said softly. His words instantly took her back to the first time he had said those words to her. She was pushed by the desperate wannabe brides and it was his arms that stopped her fall. She had that thought then that she wanted those words to have another meaning. Hearing him say those words again, her heart fluttered a little as she stared into his onyx eyes, searching for a promise not yet spoken.

"Lucy!"

Looking over her shoulder, Lucy spied Gray standing up from his post against the front door. His eyes were wide, taking in the sight of her in Natsu's arms.

"Gray," She said confused as to why he was waiting outside Levy's and Gajeel's apartment. She tried stepping towards him, but Natsu held her back. Looking back at Natsu, she could see he was grimacing at the sight of Gray. He held her for a second longer, before reluctantly letting her go. She walked towards Gray about to ask him what he was doing there, but her friend pulled her against his chest, hugging her tightly.

"Thank goodness you're alright," He murmured, holding her tighter.

"Gray I'm fine," She assured him, confused why he was acting so strangely.

"I tried calling your phone all night, but you never answered. I went to your apartment, but you weren't there. I tried to see if you were still at work, but your offices were all closed. I called Levy but she didn't answer either. I finally got a hold of Virgo and she told me that you were watching Lily this weekend. I came here, but you didn't answer. I went to the police but they said I couldn't file a missing person's report until you were missing for 24 hrs. I came back here to wait and see if you would return before returning to them in the morning." Gray held her away, so he could look her over to make sure she was still intact. Lucy could see the worry and stress in his eyes and all the fire she had felt when she was with Natsu instantly cooled after seeing her friend so upset.

 _My phone. Of course._ Lucy remembered. Natsu had turned it off and taken it in order for her to go out with him. The event of the night had mesmerized her. She had forgotten that she had only went out with him in order to get her phone back to call Gray in the first place. She had been so swept up in everything, she felt awful about all the worry she had caused her friend.

"I'm sorry Gray," Lucy began. "I-"

"You're too close," Natsu pulled Lucy out of Gray's embrace, causing Gray to stumble backward.

"Natsu!" Lucy yelled as he pushed her behind him.

"I thought I knew that other voice," Gray narrowed his eyes, glaring at Natsu. "You're the one who kidnapped Lucy."

Natsu scoffed, stuffing his hands in his pockets and rolling his eyes. "Unlike you I don't have to kidnap girls to get them to go out with me princess."

"What are you calling me flame brain?" Gray growled, stepping towards Natsu.

"You heard me princess. You're acting like you own her," Natsu shot back. The two started bickering back and forth, edging closer to one another. Lucy was afraid that they would start throwing punches when they tired of insults. The looked like children bickering on a playground. It had been a long and stressful week, and the last thing she wanted to do right now was listen to the two of them argue over nothing.

"Enough!" She shouted, stepping between the pair, glaring at the both of them. Turning to Natsu first, she gave him a hard glance before she continued. "Natsu, my phone." She demanded, a hand on her hip as she held out her other, waiting for him to give her back her phone. He stared at her, as he reached into her pocket and returned her phone. Quickly, she powered on the device. When it came to life, it immediately flashed with all the notifications it had stored. She had about 45 missed calls, and 27 text messages all from Gray. There were a couple from Virgo all wondering where she was. The way Natsu had spoken to Gray over the phone was a little misleading, and she felt bad for causing her friend to worry. But now that it was cleared up and he knew she was alright, it just needed to be let go. Turning to Gray her expression softened a little.

"Gray I appreciate you worrying about me. I know what you heard over the phone was a little puzzling, but I'm fine. Well, besides from being tired, I'm okay. I should have called you sooner to clear things up, and for that I'm sorry. Natsu didn't kidnap me; I went with him willingly," She explained.

"Really," Gray's expression was in disbelief. He looked from Lucy to Natsu, clearly not believing that was the case. Natsu didn't respond, but Lucy could feel his smug attitude rolling off of him.

"Yes," She admitted. "But now all I want to do is sleep. I'll talk to you tomorrow and we can catch up. It really has been too long. I've missed you" She smiled. It was the truth. She missed hanging out with her best friend. When she smiled, the last of Gray's tension eased out of his shoulders. He returned her smile, with a soft smile of his own.

"I've missed you too," he sighed shaking his head slightly " I'll go then so you can rest. I'll call you tomorrow and we'll plan something," He gave her a hug, holding her a little longer than normal. He let her go and started walking back to the elevator before turning around again. "Hey aren't you coming? She's tired of you so I'll help you see yourself out."

Natsu turned his smirk towards Gray as he pulled out a pair of keys. "Oh you didn't know?" Natsu voice was laced with mocked surprise as he unlocked the front door to the apartment. "I'm staying here too." He leaned against the door frame, spinning the keys on one of his fingers. "I trust you can see yourself out without my help."

Gray's eyes widened in shock, furrowing as he looked to Lucy for confirmation. She nodded and gave him a half-hearted shrug. This wasn't her home, and he technically had permission from Levy and Gajeel. Plus, he had gotten her permission as well. Though now Lucy was questioning herself if that had been a wise decision.

"You can't be okay with this," Gray questioned taking a step back towards Lucy.

"Its fine Gray," Lucy assured him. "It's just for a couple nights. He's sleeping on the couch anyways." She heard Natsu make a noise of protest, but she ignored him. "Goodnight I'll talk to you tomorrow.' Lucy made a move to enter the apartment, but Gray grabbed her wrist.

"I don't feel comfortable with this," He demanded. "I don't trust him."

"But you should trust me," She said, a little annoyed with his sudden persistence. "I'm very tired, so can we-"

Gray's grip on her wrist disappeared, replaced by the feeling of strong arms picking her up. "You heard her. Go home princess," Natsu spoke as he carried a very surprised Lucy into the apartment, shutting the door behind him. Without putting her down, he locked the door. The apartment was dark, but Natsu moved effortlessly around the unseen obstacles. It wasn't until she realized he was heading toward the guest bedroom that she got over the initial shock of his action.

"P-P-Put me down," She squirmed in his arms, but he only held on tighter.

"Stop squirming so much or I'll drop you," Natsu protested, pushing open the bedroom door.

"That's the point!"

"Fine," He agreed gruffly as he dropped her over the bed. She sat up quickly, fixing her dress as she climbed off the bed.

"Why did you do that?" She snapped.

Natsu shrugged as he walked over to his bag, pulling articles of clothing out. "You said you wanted down."

"Not that!" She threw her hands up exasperated by the situation. "Gray's going to get the wrong idea again."

"I just brought you inside. You said you were tired," Natsu reasoned.

"Do you realize how that looked?"

When Natsu just smirked, making Lucy sigh loudly. "Ugh, I'm too tired for this. I'm going to bed."

He shrugged again, kicking off his shoes. Natsu grabbed the hem of his shirt and stripped it off in one fluid motion tossing it by his shoes. Lucy eyes widened at the sudden exposure of his toned chest. Her fingers twitched, aching with a sudden desire to trace his muscles.

"Wait. What are you doing?" Lucy snapped out of her delusion, turning away to hide her blush.

Natsu blinked clearly confused by her question. "I need to take a quick shower before bed." He padded to the bathroom, but Lucy dashed in front of him, blocking his path.

"Y-You can't do that now!" She protested. Natsu arched an eyebrow as he crossed his arms, making his muscles flex.

"Why not?" He asked. "You used it earlier."

"Yes but-"

"So what's the big deal?" Natsu said taking a step closer.

"Didn't you hear me? I said I'm going to bed."

"And I'm going to take a shower," he responded. "The rooms are pretty sound proof so you shouldn't hear anything. I won't take long." Natsu moved passed Lucy and into the bathroom, pulling back the shower curtain.

"Natsu you promised you wouldn't do any "funny business" remember?"

He looked back at her perplexed. "How is taking a shower considered funny business?"

Lucy's imagination was running away again. Especially since she was so tired. She urged herself to calm down, but the thought of merely a door separating her from a naked Natsu was slightly driving her imagination into the more erotic areas of her mind. Her blush deepened coming up with multiple answers to his questions, but none she would ever voice aloud.

"Make it quick!" She finally answered, slamming the door behind her. _Why am I overreacting?_ She questioned herself. Walking to her overnight bag, Lucy quickly changed back into her pajamas before Natsu could come back out again. She thought back to the elevator, and that look in his eyes. She felt like she was going to melt under his gaze. His eyes had a way of pulling her in, holding a story that she wanted to read. And that smirk! He always had that infuriating smirk on his face. It made her want to kiss that stupid smug look off his face.

Lucy gasped at that thought. _Did I really just think about kissing him? No. No. No. You're just getting carried away like you normally do. It's just your overactive imagination producing weird thoughts because you're working on publishing a romance novel at the moment. It's not like you're attracted to that pink haired idiot. He's just teasing you to get a reaction._

"That's it. Yeah. Totally." Lucy walked over to Levy's bookshelf and selected a book at random. "I need a new genre to shift gears," She reasoned out loud. Flipping through the pages of the book, Lucy realized the book she selected was all in another language. "Well who cares if I can't read it. Anything is better than romance at the moment." She climbed into bed, to "read" the book in hopes of calming her mind into more appropriate thoughts. Snuggling under the covers, Lily appeared, jumping into bed with Lucy. The brown cat purred as he curled up next to Lucy, relaxing into sleep. Lucy flipped through the pages, looking at how the words formed. The lines and loops, holding a story she couldn't understand. Her eyes were getting heavy, the soft sounds from Lily were acting like a lullaby, and the long nights of the past week, coupled with tonight's events were weighing down her eyelids. Slowly, she felt her body relax. She tried to fight it. How could she possibly sleep with Natsu still in the bathroom? She was going to wait until he left, so she could lock the door. But everything was so comfortable, and she was extremely tired. Her eyes fluttered open once. Twice. And then closed, as she drifted off to sleep.

Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the room in soft white light. Lucy opened her eyes, squinting against the day. She closed her eyes quickly, turning away from the window as she snuggled more into the covers. Saturday was typically her day to catch up on sleep. There was a few work items that needed her attention, but she usually held off until late into the afternoon to even think about being productive. Saturday mornings were for continued dreams and comfy pillows and snuggles. Her arms found a pillow, pulling it closer to her as she fidgeted to get comfortable again. The scent coming from the pillow was familiar. Nuzzling her nose against it, she breathed in deep to try and remember where she smelled it before. It was a warm light smell that made her imagine summer days. If sunlight had a scent, she imagined it would smell like this. It relaxed her, calming her back to sleep. She pulled it tighter against her, wanting to be enveloped by it.

The pillow suddenly shifted under her grasp. Her brain started processing that there was something different about this pillow. It was shaped differently than she remembered. Her fingers traced over the pillow, forming in her mind its shape. It resembled a broad chest, with chiseled features. It even moved like it was breathing. Her head was pressed behind it, and she could make out a rhythmic sound coming from it. _That's strange_ , Lucy thought. _Since when does a pillow_ \- She froze unable to finish that thought. Her eyes peaked open, hoping that she might still be dreaming as she lifted her head.

It wasn't a pillow that she was snuggling, but a sleeping pink haired man. She noticed her arms were wrapped tightly around him, her fingers had traced his bare chest. She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks as she realized she had been literally smelling him earlier. No wonder the scent had smelled so familiar. She was wide awake now, successfully removing one of her arms from around him. She was working on removing the other, but it was underneath him. It was a little more difficult to move it while trying not to wake him up.

 _Why are you even sleeping here_? She grumbled to herself as she tried to free her arm. Natsu shifted, allowing her to pull her arm from underneath him. Victory cries sounded in her mind. She turned over to get out of bed, but a strong arm wrapped around her waist caging her there. Looking to the left, Natsu's sleeping face was now inches from hers. Her eyes widened at his closeness and she could feel her face turning another shade redder. _Too close. Too close. Too close_. She chanted hoping that her will would somehow save her from this predicament. Instead, Natsu's arm tightened around her more. Lucy squirmed a little, but he shifted so that her back was pressed against his chest. His warm breath tickled the back of her neck, sending goose bumps down her arms. Lucy reached with her free arm, grabbing a real pillow. Gripping it tight, she brought it down hard on Natsu's head.

"Ouch!" Natsu released Lucy from around her waist, sitting up as he rubbed his head. Lucy scrambled off the bed, clutching the pillow against her chest. Lily sprang up from somewhere underneath the covers, darting out of the room. Natsu turned towards her, still rubbing the spot where she had hit him.

"What did you do that for?" He asked, his eyes narrowing.

"You broke your promise," She protested.

"I told you," He stared at her hard, obviously offended. "I always keep my promises."

"Well how does sleeping in the same bed as me and attacking me keep your promise? That's clearly in violation of the no funny business agreement."

Natsu arched an eyebrow before bursting into laughter. She was annoyed at him for laughing at her and slightly more annoyed at herself for liking the way it sounded.

"I promised I wouldn't start any funny business," He managed. "Yet, I didn't say I wouldn't finish any."

Lucy's eye twitched. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh it seems you don't remember?"

"Remember what?" She had a sinking feeling as she waited for him to continue she wasn't going to like what he had to say. _What happened last night_? _I only had two glasses of wine. Surely I can handle two glasses? I wasn't drunk and even if I was I wouldn't have …with him…._

"Well when I got out of the shower, I noticed you fell asleep reading a book. I went to grab the book from you, but you grabbed onto my hand and wouldn't let go. You're surprisingly strong," He chuckled, giving her a toothy grin. "Then you kept murmuring in your sleep "Don't go." You kept repeating that until I promised I would stay with you. And you know me. I always keep my promises." His toothy grin changed into his usual smirk, as he added. "You're such a snuggler too."

"What?!" She screeched. "You're lying! I wouldn't…I didn't…not with you." She searched her memories, trying to remember anything after reading that book. She had been so tired and stressed out, her mind shut off almost instantly. The wine hadn't helped either. It made her more relaxed than usual. She couldn't remember anything.

When Levy and her had sleep overs, Levy would laugh at her calling her a "snuggle monster." It was just how Lucy slept. Her embarrassment levels were skyrocketing this morning, realizing that Natsu might be telling her the truth.

"Why would I lie about that? It was one of the best sleeps I've had in a while. I didn't even mind when you started smelling me."

 _Oh. My. God_. Lucy thought. "You were awake this whole time?!"

"I thought it was cute. I thought you might get embarrassed, so I just pretended to-" She flung the pillow at him and hitting him square in his smirking face, cutting off his words before she stormed out of the room. Lucy was mortified. Of all people in the world for her to do that to, it just had to be him. Lily rubbed up against her legs, meowing loudly.

"Oh, right. Breakfast," Lucy translated as she bent down to pet the cat, focusing on something other than what had just happened. She straightened up and headed into the kitchen to prepare his breakfast. Levy kept Lily's food in the back of the pantry. She grabbed a can of cat food from the back shelf, peeling back the lid. Lily's bowl was in a corner of the kitchen and she deposited the can's contents into it. Throwing away the empty can, Lucy opened the fridge to locate some milk. She grabbed the milk and poured some for Lily in his second bowl. Lily stood by his food and looked up at her, his tail twitching expectantly.

"What? Its breakfast," Lucy placed the milk back into the fridge.

"You're forgetting the avocado," Natsu appeared, reaching opening the fridge again, plucking an avocado from the side drawer. "He doesn't eat his food unless there's some avocado in it," Natsu explained as he grabbed a spoon and spooned avocado into Lily's dish. Once the avocado was mixed in, Lily ran up to his food and started to scarf it down.

"I forgot about that," Lucy admitted. "That's so weird."

"Well Wendy's cat Carla only drinks Darjeeling tea," Natsu stated.

"You're kidding."

"It's true. It's like those siblings attract weird cats." He shook his head, before pulling himself up to sit on the counter. "So what do you want for breakfast," He smiled.

"You can cook?" Lucy asked.

"I wouldn't call myself a chef, but I can put something together that won't kill you," He encouraged. "Since I travel to a lot of remote places, you pick up a few things here and there in order to survive. Also, this is kinda of an apology for this morning. I didn't mean to-"

"Let me stop you right there," she held a hand up cutting him off. "1. We're adding this to the list of things that you need to forget. 2. If you're going to cook, then put on a shirt," Lucy chided. His exposed chest and arms were driving her crazy. He broke into another toothy grin as he nodded. Natsu jumped down and padded back to the guest bedroom. It was then that she finally noticed the design of his tattoo on his shoulder. It was a broken black 'V" framing two black crossed keys. It was an odd symbol, but Natsu disappeared down the hallway before she could look at it more. He came back wearing a light blue t-shirt that matched the streak running down his black pajama pants. The shock of color took Lucy by surprised. She had only seen him in black. It went well with his olive complexion.

"Alright time for breakfast," Natsu cheered as he opened the fridge to take stock of what he had to work with. He pulled out some ingredients, placing them on the counter. He opened the cupboards, expertly moving as he grabbed more ingredients and a large pan. "How does Natsu's World Famous Chocolate Chip Pancakes sound?"

"World famous?" She giggled.

"Fine. They're an undiscovered delicacy," He brushed her questioning tone aside. "Soon to be world famous." He started prepping for his dish, cracking eggs and adding flour into a large bowl.

"Natsu's Undiscovered Wannabe World Famous Chocolate Chip Pancakes, sound great. I'll make coffee," She laughed as he rolled his eyes at her. She grabbed two mugs from the cupboard and the tin of coffee beans. She scooped some into the coffee grinder Levy had and started the machine. In seconds the coffee beans were ground to a nice consistency. Lucy dumped the container into a filter she already placed into the coffee machine. She turned on the faucet to fill up the water storage. Once it was filled, she situated it back into the machine before turning it on. It a few minutes, the smell of deliciously brewed coffee was filling the air. Lucy breathed deep, loving the aroma.

"How do you take your coffee?" Lucy asked Natsu. He was already pouring the batter he created into a pan.

"Black is fine," He replied.

Of course, Lucy thought as she smiled and poured coffee into both of their mugs. Lucy liked hers with two sugars and French vanilla creamer. She found it in the fridge and stirred the creamer into the coffee.

"Coffee's done," She said as she set the two mugs on the table. She grabbed two forks, two butter knives, two plates, and two napkins as she set the table. The fact that she had to get two of everything made her happier than she expected. Lucy normally ate all her meals alone. Besides lunch meetings and the occasional meals with Levy, or Levy and Gajeel or Gray, breakfast, lunch, and dinner were usually lonely affairs. Even though he completely embarrassed her this morning, and irritated her last night with Gray, Natsu being here was not as bad as she thought it would be.

Inside the fridge, Lucy grabbed the butter and found some berries. She gave them a quick rinse before, pouring some strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries into two bowls to compliment the chocolate chip pancakes. She set them on the table in time for Natsu to walk over with a plate stacked high with delicious looking chocolate chip pancakes and a container of maple syrup.

"That's a lot of pancakes," She committed as he set the syrup and pancake tower in the center of the table.

"Oh you wanted some too?" He joked. He reached out and took her plate, placing three pancakes on it for her. He placed six on his. Lucy just laughed as they sat down. Lucy noticed Natsu was staring at her as she drizzled the syrup onto her pancakes and cut into them.

"What?" She said, holding the bite she was about to take in midair.

"I wanted to watch your reaction," he said, leaning forward in his seat. _He's like a kid_ , Lucy thought. She placed the bite of pancakes in her mouth, instantly smiling.

"Delicious," She moaned as she cut into her pancakes again. Natsu gave her a brilliant smile as he cut into his own stack.

"Told you," He said attacking his pancakes. "World famous!"

The two of them eased into a cheerful conversation as they enjoyed their breakfast. Natsu told Lucy about all the interesting food he had tried while travelling. His cooking stories included a lot of fire mishaps, and burnt meals that made Lucy laugh loudly. It had been a long while since Lucy could remember feeling like this. It was Saturday morning and there wasn't an insufferable silence hanging around her. Instead there was Natsu's voice, her laughter, and the soft purrs of Lily at her feet filling the space. She wanted more mornings like this. More mornings with laughter and coffee and self-proclaimed "world famous" chocolate chip pancakes.


	5. Chapter 5

"Since you cooked I'll do the dishes," Lucy offered, setting down her fork.

"Veto," Natsu stood, gathering the dishes together. "Cleaning up is a part of making breakfast. Relax, I got this." He shuffles off back into the kitchen, depositing the dishes into the sink.

"If you insist," she said. "I'll just go take a quick shower then."

"Was that an invitation?" He grinned back at her, plunging the dishes into the soapy water in the sink.

"Showering is a singular activity," she responded with a glare.

"Oh Lucy you've been showering all wrong," He smirked. "Who has been washing your back?"

"Sh-Shut up," she stammered standing up from the table. "I can wash my own back."

He continued to smirk, shaking his head slightly as he reached for another plate to scrub. "Well if you need any help, just let me know. I'm an excellent scrubber," Natsu offered, holding up the plate he was scrubbing for emphasis.

"Don't hold your breath," she called back as she hurried down the hall to the guestroom. It was getting harder and harder for Lucy to keep her imagination under control. Natsu's suggestion just started kindling another fantasy she was trying desperately to get out of her mind. The thought of his hands scrubbing her back made her several shades redder than her natural complexion.

 _He's just teasing you. He wants you to get all worked up. Don't give him what he wants_. Lucy chided herself as she stepped into the bathroom, closing the door. Even though she kept reminding herself of these words, she couldn't keep the fantasy at bay. As the warm water poured on her, her mind was imagining Natsu behind her. His strong hands stroking her back, up and down. Goose bumps broke across her skin, as she imagined him pulling her closer to him. His lips would brush against her ear as he whispered to her-

"AHHHHHHH!" Turning the water all the way to cold in order to cool her thoughts, Lucy ended her shower. "No more. No more. No more," She muttered to herself as she stepped out of the shower. Quickly toweling herself dry, Lucy wrapped the towel tight around her. Grabbing another, she gathered her long blonde hair and wrapped into the towel to dry. Cracking the door, she looked around the room to make sure Natsu wasn't hiding in there. Luckily, there was no sign of him. The bed was still unmade, and Lucy prodded the comforter to make sure another incident like yesterday didn't happen again. She relaxed once she realized she was safe. Her phone was blinking on the dresser, indicating she had a message. The screen revealed she had missed a call from Gray. Her finger hovered over the redial button when she saw he left a voicemail. She clicked on it instead and his voice played through the phone:

 **Hey Lucy. I hope you're alright and that flamebrain hasn't done anything to you. If he did, let me know and I'll take care of him real quick. That guy is such a nuisance. I know how much you like your quiet weekends, so I'm sorry you have to deal with that. Luckily Wendy and her parents will be back tomorrow right? Then you no longer have to deal with him."** There was a pause, as if Gray wasn't really sure if those words were true or not.

 **Anyway, I'm calling because I'm going to have to cancel today. I know I made this big deal about hanging out and I want to. Except, I'm actually about to get on a plane right now. Some rich and titled guy wants to commission 12 portraits from me. Can you believe it? 12! He's flying me out and everything. It's for his daughter's birthday present or whatever. Look I know this is a dick move of me to cancel on you. I'll definitely make it up to you when I get back. Whatever you want to do, we'll do it the second I get back. I really do miss you Lucy. Take care of yourself while I'm gone.**

The message ended and Lucy just stared at her phone for a moment. She was sad that she couldn't hang out with her friend. She had been looking forward to catching up with him. Remembering how hard Gray had worked in order to get his art acknowledged, Lucy just pushed her sadness down. _He'll be back_. Sending good wishes to her friend silently, Lucy placed her phone back on the side table. The overnight bag Virgo had packed was sitting in the armchair. Unzipping it, Lucy selected green shorts and a button down navy blue shirt that had tiny white flowers all over it. She rolled her sleeves to sit above her elbows. Moving back to the bathroom, she put on some light makeup and reached for the blow dryer under the sink. She brushed and blow dried her hair and tied it up in her side ponytail, selecting a white ribbon to hold it together. Satisfied with her look she went back out to the kitchen.

Since she became un-expectantly free today, Lucy thought she would invite Natsu out. _Only as a thank you for breakfast._ Emerging from the hall, Lucy went straight into the kitchen but Natsu wasn't there. The dishes had been dried and put away, no trace of the delicious breakfast was left. She moved into the living room where she spied Lily curled up on the couch asleep, yet still no Natsu. Levy's and Gajeel's apartment had a total of four bedrooms. One was the master bedroom, the second was the guest bedroom, and the third was being used as a library/office for Levy and the fourth was for Gajeel's music collection. He was the Vice President of a music company called Shadow Iron and had dealt with a lot of famous musicians throughout the years. Lucy checked them all, but there was still no sign of Natsu. She went back to the guest bedroom and grabbed her phone thinking to call him, but realized she didn't even have his number.

"He must have gone out for something," She reasoned aloud. Lily walked in the room, jumping onto the messy bed. Her hand reached out to pet the feline, stroking the soft fur between his ears. It was then that Lucy realized Natsu's black bag was missing. "He wouldn't leave without saying goodbye. Would he?" In response, Lily meowed before jumping down again and exiting the room leaving Lucy alone.

* * *

Wendy returned to pick up Lily late Sunday evening. She gave Lucy a tiny wrapped package as a thank you for watching Lily. The little girl gave a quick synopsis of her trip as she collected Lily's things. Her parents' were waiting downstairs in the taxi otherwise they would have come up too. Wendy gave Lucy a hug goodbye before heading back downstairs to meet her parents. Grabbing her bags by the door, Lucy turned off all the lights and locked the door behind her.

It was late when she finally made it back to her apartment. Lucy didn't even bother turning the lights on when she entered. Dropping her bags on the couch, she went straight to her bedroom, closing the door. Curling up on her bed, she stared at the darkest corner of her room. She had ran a dozen scenarios in her head why Natsu had left, all ending with him coming back. It was late Sunday night and still Natsu had never returned. She was back in her apartment, all alone and that realization made her start to cry.

"This is stupid," she cried. She had gotten what she wanted; a quiet weekend alone with no distractions. "So why can't I stop crying?" She started feeling it then. The silence bearing down on her like a choking smog.

 _He left. Just like he did. Like everyone_. A familiar whisper echoed in her heart. Lucy felt a long forgotten fear start to cling to her heart. Her body started to shake. A flash of a memory appeared. A man with hazels eyes and a cruel smile. A bright light then darkness.

"No," she sobbed. The dark corner of her room seemed to grow, swallowing everything.

 _You're alone_. It whispered to her again and again. _Alone. Alone. Alone. Alone. Alone. Alone. Alone_.

"I-I don't want to be alone," she sobbed, but no one was there to hear her.

 **1 Week 2 days Later**

"I'm okay Virgo," She answered before her secretary could ask her for what seemed like the millionth time. It hadn't been just Virgo though. A lot of her employees kept asking her if she was alright. They finally stopped after she snapped at them, which she instantly regretted. Now she had to deal with their worried glances, she tried to ignore. Lucy didn't know what was worse. Yet, Virgo was unfettered by her burst of frustration, still stopping by her office to check on her before she left for the day. "I'm just going to approve some of the documents for Friday's meeting."

"Don't tell me you already finished everything for Thursday's document review?" Virgo shook her head at Lucy already knowing the answer.

"It's all filed and ready for tomorrow meeting. It should go smoothly. I want the team to look over some of the prints just to make sure, but I thought we could move ahead with some new client accounts," She motioned to a pile of folders sitting on her desk.

"Lucy I know you say you're fine but-"

"Virgo," Lucy held her hand up interrupting her secretary. "I like to work. That's all." She tried giving Virgo her best smile, but the woman just shook her head sadly, unconvinced.

"I'm here for you if you need to talk, you know that right?" was her reply as she gathered up her belongings.

"I know," She paused. Lucy wanted to talk to her. She wanted to explain why she didn't want to go home. Without Levy and without Gray, it was hard bottling her feelings up inside. But telling Virgo would only mean burdening her with her own personal problems. Saying them out loud would also make it real. "Thank you Virgo, but I really am fine," Lucy finished.

"Don't work too late, Lucy." Virgo gave her one last disapproving look before leaving her office.

Lucy sighed, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hands. Virgo's eyes felt like they saw right through her charade. Normally, Lucy would stay in the office as late as she could. People started calling her a workaholic, but Lucy just wanted any excuse to prolong returning to her empty apartment. Trying to surround herself with distractions, pouring herself into her work, walking home in the crowded streets, anything that would delay her from returning home. This was how she had been before she met Gray, before she met Levy. Years of work, destroyed by Natsu in one night. She thought she had gotten used to being alone, but ever since Natsu left it had become unbearable. The walls that she had built up to keep it at bay were erased by him. The old scars she thought had healed, were bleeding like fresh wounds. Lucy knew it was stupid to feel this way about someone she barely knew. Who cares if he left? It wasn't like she was anything to him or he was anything to her…. He didn't have to tell her if he was leaving or not. Yet, his sudden departure dragged up old and painful memories, memories she thought she had long since buried in the deepest parts of her heart. She didn't know how he did it, but she was back to square one.

Thinking about him was not helping either. It just reminded her how easily people can leave. "It wasn't like we knew each other well anyway," she muttered to herself. "This shouldn't bother me, but yet-" She slapped her cheeks with her hands, breaking away from that thought. With a sigh, she stood up and started collecting her things. When work stopped being a distraction, she had to move onto the next one. That was Lucy's new routine, hopping from distraction to distraction.

The streets were crowded as usual, and Lucy let herself be carried away by the river of people. It was only when she was carried to a small Thai restaurant two blocks from her apartment that she broke from the flow. She made her usual greetings to the restaurant staff as she made her way to the counter. She wasn't on first name bases yet, but they recognized her nonetheless. Lucy had been coming here for over a week, every night and ordering different things off the menu. She had almost made it through the whole thing. Without even waiting for her to order, the kindly looking woman behind the counter already had Lucy's to-go order waiting.

"This is too much," Lucy said as she went through the same conversation she had with the woman every night, if one could even call it a conversation. The woman never spoke a word to her, just smiled and took Lucy's cash and giving her the change. Lucy tried to pay for the extra meal she always seemed to get, but the woman just shook her head and shooed her out. With her arm loaded down with Thai food, she walked the final two blocks to her apartment.

Lucy's apartment building was located near central park. Well, a brisk walk and trip on the subway and viola, central park. The building wasn't the newest apartment complex either, but it had character, something Lucy was looking for when she first came to New York. After making her business successful, she could have moved into a more luxurious apartment, but none of them had the same feel hers did. It was a cozy 2 bedroom apartment with a descent rent. She contemplated taking the stairs, but after walking all night, lugging Thai food up 10 flights of steps just didn't seem all that appealing. The elevator doors slid open. She entered and pressed the 10th floor button, and fished out her keys. All too soon the elevator doors opened, depositing her back home. Every step she took to her door made her nauseous. She knew that she would probably make two bites into her food, before it went into the fridge like the rest of her take out. Turning the corner, she approached apartment 1012 and immediately stopped.

Sitting down and leaning against her door asleep, was Natsu. He was dressed in his usual all black attire, his shock of pink hair contrasting. His legs were stretched out in the hallway, his arms crossed across his chest. His head was bent forward as he slept. Her eyes darted around the hall, trying to see if anyone would give a disapproving gaze to him, if only to confirm that he was really there and her mind wasn't playing tricks on her.

"Natsu," she breathed. His eyes fluttered opened and found hers. Her heart gave a flip at the sight of him, and she could feel the corners of her mouth twitching to form a smile. She quickly schooled her features, back into a neutral state.

"Lucy!" He stood, smiling as he called out her name. "You're finally back. I've been waiting for hours. I guess I must have dozed off."

"How do you know where I live?" She managed to ask keeping her tone flat.

"I'm a treasure hunter," he smirked. "Finding treasure is my specialty."

 _It was just more of his teasing. Don't get any ideas_. She tightened her grip on her Thai food and moved past Natsu to unlock her door. "You're mistaken then or not a very good treasure hunter. There's no treasure here." The key slid into the lock and she opened the door.

"Hey-"

"Since Lily is back at Gajeel's parents' house, you don't have to worry about feeding him. Gajeel and Levy will be back in a few weeks, so you'll be alone. If you stay that long anyway." She spoke to her dark and empty apartment not looking at him, but facing the silence that awaited her and trying to keep her voice from shaking. The silence was reaching out to her, the invisible tendrils gently wrapping themselves around her limbs, urging her to enter. The fear brimming inside of her made her shake slightly. Natsu had left her, reminding her of the trauma from her past. Levy was gone. Grey was gone. Her usual crutches weren't there. It was fine. She had gotten over her fear of being alone once before. She would do it again. She was fine. The silence beckoned to her. _I'm fine_.

"If you don't need anything then goodnight Natsu," She took a step forward, about to repeat the next steps of her routine: putting the take out in the fridge, taking two sleeping pills, praying they worked tonight, changing into her pajamas, crawling into the bed and telling herself over and over again that she was fine being alone.

"Damn it Lucy, stop." Natsu's hand bared her entrance as he blocked her path. "What's wrong? You're shaking."

"I-I'm fine," she whispered. He gripped her shoulders, making her face him. His brow furrowed as he stared at her, concern in his onyx eyes.

"No you're not. What's wrong? What happened?" If she said what she was feeling out loud, then she would have to start all over again. Rebuilding her walls meant ignoring the fear, pretending it wasn't there. If she told him, if she told anyone then it would make it real. She would have to acknowledge that she really, truthfully wasn't fine….

"I'm-"

Natsu pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her. "Stop lying," He muttered. The foundations for the walls she was rebuilding were erasing themselves. She was afraid. The thought of being alone terrified her. Flashes of the dreadful memory she suppressed for so long scrawled behind her eyes.

"Why did you leave?" Her voice still flat, but hard as she pulled herself out of his embrace. It was a comfort that she couldn't rely on. It would just make the walls erase faster.

"Wait when did I-" Natsu looked at her confused, but then his eyes widened in remembrance. "Oh."

"You didn't-You didn't even say goodbye?" The tears she usually shed alone, were spilling down her cheeks. She tried to brush them away, but they kept falling. "You just left. You just left m…."

"I'm sorry!" He bowed his head low as he apologized. "I can't fully explain, but that day I got a call and I had to leave immediately. You were still in the shower and I thought I would give you a call later. But I forgot I didn't have your number and I was in a remote area so it wouldn't have done me any good anyways. When I touched down a few hours ago, I went back to Gajeel's apartment and realized you weren't going to be there. I uh…tracked down your address and I've been waiting for you since I came back." He straightened up, his eyes holding his apology. "I didn't mean to leave like that. If it had been any other call, I wouldn't have left, but this one…." His voice trailed off, and he shook his head. "Lucy, I promise I'll never leave again without saying goodbye."

When Natsu left, he had erased her walls and made the fear of loneliness make the silence unbearable. But now that he had returned, with that one simple promise she felt that fear receding. She shook her head confused. The anger, the fear, the loneliness all of it seemed to burn away from the intensity of that promise. Her tears trickled to a stop, her hand wiping the trails away. Suddenly, Lucy was very hungry.

"Do you want to come in?" She offered. "The woman who owns the Thai shop always gives me more than I can eat, so do you want to help me eat this?"

"Yeah, I'm starving," Natsu picked up his black bag and followed Lucy into her apartment. It was dark, but she flickered on the lights and set the food on the kitchen counter.

"Want some wine?" Lucy grabbed a bottle of wine off the counter, pouring herself a glass. Natsu nodded and she poured a second one for him, placing it in front of him. They sat together at the counter on her bar stools, eating the take out from the containers. It was the first real meal she had in a week. She never really felt hungry, always feeling like there was a heavy pit in her stomach. She picked at her food before, but now she ate every last bite. Even though it was just take out, it rivaled the meal she had at Etherion. Natsu dipped into a story about his time in Thailand searching for a particular statue in the middle of one of their forests. He had gotten lost for three days until he stumbled upon a village and they helped redirect him. As usual, his stories were full of his mishaps, his near-death experiences, and his awkward encounters. Lucy gasped, chastised, and laughed throughout his tale. It was well into the night, when Lucy tried to stifle a yawn.

"You're tired. I should probably go so you can sleep," Natsu stood.

"Don't!" She sobbed, grabbing onto his arm. Natsu looked at her shocked and Lucy was shocked at her own reaction. "I mean…you can stay here if you want that is," she murmured trying to recover herself. The shock of fear that hit her heart of being alone again was painful. As long as he was here, the fear was kept away.

"Are you sure?" He lifted his eyebrow, questioningly.

"Yes," she responded quietly.

"Okay, I won't go then," he smiled, giving her one of his toothy grins.

"I'll-I'll go get some blankets" Lucy rushed away, releasing his arm. "There's a bathroom over there you can use to change," she turned around and motioned with her finger, before going down the hall to gather things to make up the couch. Returning with an armful of blankets and a pillow from her bed, she quickly made up the couch for him. The light on the half bath flicked off and Natsu emerged. He was wearing the same set of pajamas he had been wearing at Levy's place. He padded over to her, eyeing the couch.

"Do you need more blankets? An extra pillow?" She fluffed his pillow, placing at the end of the couch.

"No it looks comfy. Thanks!" He laid across the couch, propping his head up with his hand looking up at her.

"Okay, well if you need anything just let me know. My room is right there, "she pointed to a door at the end of the hall as she walked towards it.

"Lucy," His voice stopped her. "Are you okay?"

His gaze was boring into her back, but she didn't turn around. "Yeah, I'm fine." She willed her voice not to break, and succeeded in keep it steady. "Goodnight."

Closing the door softly, she quickly dressed for bed and washed her face. Climbing into bed, she slipped under the covers and tried to sleep. She forgot to take her sleeping pills, but didn't want to get out of bed. Since Natsu was asleep in the other room, Lucy thought she would be able to sleep without them. Yet, once he was out of sight, she felt the smog of fear creeping in the dark corners of her room. Whimpering, she turned on her light trying to force it away. _I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine_. She closed her eyes, squeezing them shut. _Go to sleep. Go to sleep. You're fine. You're fine_. She chanted to herself, willing herself to sleep.

A knock sounded on her door and Natsu opened it slowly. "Lucy?" He took one look at her and quickly closed the distance, wrapping her in his arms.

She opened her mouth to respond that she was fine, but she couldn't take it anymore. She was so tired of feeling like this. "Natsu, could you…sleep here….with me tonight?" she whimpered into his shoulder, as she gripped his shirt tightly. "I don't…I don't want to be alone."

She could feel him chuckle into hair and then pull her away gently. "Scoot over," he smirked as she climbed under the covers with her. Lucy turned off her lamp and laid back down.

"Natsu," she called. His back was to her; she could feel the gentle rise and fall of the covers as he breathed.

"Yes Lucy," he spoke quietly.

"Thank you," she closed her eyes and sighed and finally drifted off to sleep.

Lucy awoke with a start, believing everything that happened last night was a dream. Daylight was streaming into her room, making her blink to adjust her eyes. She turned and saw that Natsu was still asleep beside her. Her body relaxed seeing him there. As quietly as she could, she climbed out of bed and into her bathroom. She took a quick shower, wrapping her pink towel around her. She dried her hair with the blow dryer before stepping into her closet that was connected to her bathroom. Selecting a white blouse and navy blue pencil skirt, Lucy changed into her work attire. Applying light make up and a hint of perfume, Lucy then swept her hair up into a low bun. She grabbed a pair of nude heels from her closet before she left.

When she walked back into her bedroom, Natsu wasn't there anymore. The panic started to grip her heart as she made her way down the hall. _He wouldn't? He promised_.

"Good morning," He beamed at her as he fumbled around in her kitchen.

"G-Good morning." The panic she was feeling disappeared and her heart relaxed. "What are you doing?" She balanced on one foot as she slipped on a heel and then the other as she slid on its twin.

"I wanted to make you breakfast before you go, but all you have is Thai food in your fridge." He looked at her bewildered. "You haven't just been eating Thai food have you?" He looked back at the fridge and shook his head. "Well not eating Thai food that is."

Lucy blushed guilty, realizing she didn't go to the grocery store this past week. "Sorry, I was…busy. I didn't have time."

"No matter," Natsu shrugged. "I'll just run to pick us up something."

"It's okay. I have a meeting I need to get to and I'm running a little late." Lucy had been getting up well before dawn and was usually the first person in the office. When she awoke this morning the sun was already shining bright in the sky. She was shocked that she made it through the whole night without waking up. Lucy was now brimming with energy after a good night's rest.

"But you need to eat something. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," He admonished her.

"There's a café in my building at the office. I'll just pick up something there." She grabbed her purse and files from the counter where she had left them last night. Natsu stared at her, giving her a questioning look before he sighed.

"Fine," he said. "I'll just wake up earlier tomorrow so that you'll have something to go."

 _Tomorrow_? "You're staying?" She asked shocked. Her heart did more flips at the thought of not being alone for another night.

"Who else is going to help you eat all the Thai food you bring home?" He gave her one of his signature smirks she was growing to like. She also noticed his casual avoidance of mentioning the delicate state she was in last night. He was going to stay. She wasn't going to be alone.

"Between you and me, I'm a little tired of Thai food," She grimaced thinking about all the Thai food she bought and nibbled at.

"Well if you bring back Chinese, I want the spiciest option."

Lucy rolled her eyes as she walked over to a drawer in the kitchen and pulled out a key. "Let's get one thing clear, I'm letting you borrow this okay?" Trying and failing to keep her tone neutral, she placed the key into his hand. It was the spare key to her apartment. It was small and gold with 1012 engraved into it. "It's not that I want you to stay or not," she lied. "But I don't expect you to stay cooped up in here all day. Lock up when you leave, so I don't come home to a looted apartment."

"This is a first," He stared down at the key in his hand. "Usually I have to go hunting for this. This is the first time I've been given a key to any treasure."

"Borrow," Lucy clarified. "Ugh, I have to go." Lucy's heels clicked across her wooden floors, opening the door with irritation. She took a step out, before looking over her shoulder. It was hard to believe. How quickly her emotions changed when he was near. His presence had quickly reverted her back to her old self. His smirks, his black clothes and his quips, were now things she was starting to like…need.

She hesitated leaving, afraid it would all go away if she left. Her body wavered in the doorway, one foot in and one foot out. "You'll…you'll be here when I get back?"

"I promise," he declared.

"Okay," she whispered, tucking the promise into her heart so it could burn the uncertainties away.


	6. Chapter 6

"Is that all for today Virgo?"

"Well, the new manuscript reports have arrived and need your comments. Also, the meeting for the edited cover designs for the YA division will be at 10 tomorrow. I typed up your notes from the last meeting for you to review them. The figures for last month's book sales are out as well. The finance office is requesting a meeting to go over the numbers and make suggestions on improvements for next month's releases. There are a few meetings that need to be lined up with potential authors and their literary agents. I checked your calendar and the work you did has placed you significantly above schedule. If you would like, I can set up the meetings as early as next week."

Virgo shifted through the files in her hand, before placing them on Lucy's desk. Lucy looked at the glaring amount of work to be done and inwardly groaned. Last week she dove into her work, eagerly submerging into the depths of paperwork, but now she felt she was drowning in it. The sun was setting slowly, spilling bright red rays of sunlight into her office. Last week, time was always rushing by. The day had been full of meetings which normally ate the day up quickly. Yet, today it felt like the hours were slowly chewing by. When she thought she would finally go home for the evening, Virgo had appeared with even more work to do. Owning her own publishing company required a lot of time and effort and most days Lucy tackled the never-ending jobs with gusto. However, today her mind was not on her work at all.

"Oh one more thing," Virgo said as she turned a page of her notepad.

"Yes?" Lucy grabbed the first file, skimming the notes she had made during the last cover design meeting.

"A Mr. Natsu called for you while you were in your last meeting."

The file fumbled from Lucy's hands, spilling its contents onto the floor. "Na-Natsu called here?" She stuttered as she bent to retrieve the notes. Virgo arched her eyebrow as she bent down to help Lucy with the papers.

"Yes ma'am," Virgo replied, taking the papers from Lucy's hands. She moved quickly as she organized the pages, placing them in their proper order before sliding them into the file and handing it back to her.

"What did he say?" Lucy asked, trying to keep the eagerness out of her tone.

Virgo picked up her notepad and read the message she wrote down earlier. "He said "Don't even think about bringing back any Thai food. I'll take care of dinner tonight, so hurry back or I'll eat your food too. He concluded with saying "That's a promise.""

Lucy rolled her eyes and smiled. "I'll take the cover notes home and review them for tomorrow's meeting," Lucy grabbed the files and shoved them into her bag along with her laptop. "Go ahead and set up those meetings for next week, but let's put James in charge of them. He's proved he's capable of handling this. It will also free up some time for me to review the manuscript reports. Also let's contact the finance department tomorrow and schedule that meeting after the cover meeting." She zipped her work bag and grabbed her purse, situating both onto her right shoulder.

"I'll see to it that it's done, so please enjoy your date tonight." Virgo smiled as she wrote down Lucy's instructions on her message pad.

"Thanks Virgo I'll see you to-Wait," Lucy's eyes widened. "It's not a date. He's just a fr-friend," she protested.

"Your reaction seems to state otherwise. As did your mood today," Virgo pointed out. "Is he the reason why you kept looking at your watch all day?"

"I was just making sure my watch wasn't broken," she explained. Truthfully, Lucy was thinking her watch was broken because the minute hands ticked by so slowly. Virgo stared at her hard, unconvinced by her words.

"Very well ma'am," Virgo replied following Lucy out of the office. "I'll have the car waiting outside for you so you can be on time for your date-that's-not-a-date."

"Virrrrgooooo," Lucy pleaded, but her secretary had already gone back to her desk. Lucy pressed the button for the elevator. It arrived with a chime, the gray doors sliding away to admit her. True to her word, Virgo had the car waiting for Lucy by the time she exited the building. Peering closely at the man, she realized it was the same driver from before. He opened the door for Lucy, closing it once she was safely situated inside. He drove her through the busy lanes of New York traffic, maneuvering through the streams of cars carrying people home from a long day of work. The driver opened the door for her once they arrived at her apartment. Lucy was shocked that she was home and the sun was still out. Although it was fading fast.

She took the elevator to the 10th floor, and walked down the hallway, stopping in front of her apartment door. Hesitating, Lucy held the key in front of the lock. _He promised he would be here._ She told herself as she shoved the key into the lock and opened the door.

"Just in time," Natsu called out to her as she closed the door. He emerged from the kitchen, holding a glass of wine in his hand, dressed in his usual black pants, but wearing a white button down shirt.

"You didn't eat my food did you?" Lucy took the glass from him as she asked.

"I see Virgo gave you my message then," He smirked, crossing his arms across his chest. The fabric of his shirt pulled across his muscles with the motion. Her grip tightened around her wine glass as she looked away, noting the ache in her fingertips to touch his arms.

"Yes and I would appreciate it if you refrained from calling my job. Virgo has more important things to do than take messages from you," Lucy chided as she moved to the living room to set her laptop and purse down on the couch.

"Ah don't be like that," Natsu followed. "Virgo and I had a great conversation. She knows so much about you."

Lucy almost let her glass slip through her fingers, but recovered her grip. "Wait, what did she say?" Her mind raced trying to figure out what Virgo could have told him. Virgo watched Lucy like a hawk at work, becoming her shadow during meetings and business trips. It was only around her did she let her CEO mask unravel, but Virgo wouldn't reveal her faults to him…would she? Her secretary did have a bit of a mischievous side.

"Nothing but compliments I assure you," he looked away and smirked which made Lucy worry more. She made a mental note to talk to Virgo tomorrow about the meaning of confidential information. With a sigh, Lucy took a sip of her wine.

"Wait is this?" Lucy took another sip, reveling in the familiar taste.

"Salon Blanc de Blancs, 1966. It's the wine we drank when we went to Etherion," Natsu confirmed. "I thought it might go well with dinner tonight. I hope you're hungry."

"Starving," she said.

Natsu led Lucy into the dining room where the small square table was already set. He pulled out one of the chairs for her before reaching for the wine bottle in the center, refilling her glass. He retreated into the kitchen and returned a moment later with two bowls, placing one in front of her. The bowl was filled with a smooth, creamy orange soup, chunks of lobster meat piled in the middle and garnished with fennel. Small tendrils of steam drifted up from the dish as Lucy peered into it. She picked up her spoon and dipped her utensil into the creamy soup. The richness of flavor that burst from the first bite was extraordinary.

"For the first dish: lobster bisque," Natsu announced as he dipped his spoon into his own bowl.

"It's delicious," Lucy replied after swallowing another spoonful. The buttery lobster chunks coated in the creamy bisque made the sides of her tongue tingle. She couldn't get enough of it as she repeatedly spooned the soup into her mouth. Her spoon scraped against the bowl as she gathered the last of the bisque onto it.

Natsu chuckled as he took her empty bowl. "Wow, if you continue to eat like this then I won't have to do dishes."

Lucy blushed. "It was good okay."

"I'll say." He laughed some more as he returned to the kitchen. "If you thought that was good, wait until you try the main dish." He called over his shoulder. Lucy sipped her wine, enjoying the anticipation for the next dish. After a busy work day, it was nice to come home to a nice glass of wine, delicious food, and-

"Tagliolini pasta with manila clams, calamari, white wine and hot chilies." Natsu placed a brilliant looking dish in front of her. The Tagliolini pasta was a warm golden color tangled around the fleshy pink chunks of calamari and clam, and bright red chilies. The white wine poured over it mingled the scents together, giving the dish a pleasant aroma. It looked like a work of art.

Lucy grabbed her fork and twirled the pasta onto her spoon and took a bite. The spiciness of the hot chilies instantly hit her tongue, but the white wine soaked into the pasta was sweet enough to counter it, creating an intense flavor. When she bit into the pieces of calamari and clam, their salty flavors added to the spicy-sweet combination. Her tongue was in a tango of tastes. Lucy realized the dish wasn't meant to be eaten; it was meant to be experienced.

"You made this?" Lucy asked when she could finally force her hands to stop forming bites.

"Don't sound so shocked," he replied as he slurped up his pasta. "You've had my food before."

Lucy remembered the chocolate chipped pancakes he made her. Though they were delicious, this dish was on a different dimension. It reminded her of the delicious food she had at Etherion.

 _The wine….The food. It tastes exactly like it came from Etherion._ Lucy stood up from the table and looked towards the kitchen. "I need some water," she said.

"Don't worry about that," Natsu stood as well. "I'll get it for you." He stepped in front of her, backing away towards the kitchen. "You worked all day. Just relax." She watched him walk away until he was out of sight and quickly followed after him.

The kitchen was immaculate, for someone who supposedly cooked dinner. There was not a dirty pan in sight. Instead, large containers labeled with Etherion's logo were present. Natsu emerged from the fridge, a bottle of water in his hand and stopped when he saw Lucy standing there.

"Busted." Lucy said, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"For being irresistible?" He sighed. "It's a struggle."

"No," she rolled her eyes. "You were trying to make me believe you cooked when you just ordered from your restaurant."

"I never said I cooked this," he replied. "I told you I would take care of dinner tonight and I did. I own Etherion, which includes the food. So, when I told you, you had my food before, it was the truth."

"Well why make a big deal about me not coming in here then if you weren't trying to hide anything?"

"I was being nice," he smirked. "Virgo did say you were in meetings all day. You should relax when you get home."

"Okay new rule. No more talking to Virgo," she declared as they walked out of the kitchen.

"Oh is someone jealous," Natsu arched his eyebrow at her and set the water bottle down on the table. Lucy rolled her eyes again as she took her seat.

"Uh as if," she grabbed her wine and sipped it, blushing furiously.

"Well we can fix that." Natsu reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "What's your number?"

She took his phone and entered her number in quickly. "I'm only giving you this so you won't harass my secretary."

"Sure. Sure. No matter how it is received, treasure is treasure," He commented as he stored his phone away.

Her blush deepened as she turned back to her food. "So what did you do today while I was at work?"

Natsu told her how he visited the Redfoxs' house and caught up with them. He listened to stories about their recent trip and took Wendy to the park. Before he left, they were telling him that Levy and Gajeel would be back from their honeymoon in two weeks and that they were planning a welcome home dinner party. They wanted to know if he would still be in New York and if he would come.

"So will you still be here?" Lucy inwardly cringed as she heard the eagerness in her voice.

"Most likely," Natsu leaned in his chair, crossing his arms beneath his head. They were both finished with their meals, having devoured every delicious bite of the pasta. "I'm currently in the middle of a treasure hunt here."

"What type of treasure?" She still couldn't believe that New York housed something ancient and thrilling as some of the other places he mentioned hunting in. She also was trying to ignore how her heart did a little flip at the thought of him staying here.

"A one of a kind treasure." He smirked.

"A one of a kind treasure in New York? Sounds too good to be true. Your client will be happy when you finally get it then."

"This one's personal." He replied, as he leaned forward. "I keep the rarest treasure for myself." He stared at her, with his smirk still plastered on his face. His onyx eyes flashing when he spoke. Natsu chuckled softly, before he spoke again. "So what did you do all day, Miss CEO?"

"A bunch of meetings, nothing as exciting as hunting treasure," She said.

"Tell me anyway. Why did you start your company in the first place?"

"Oh." Lucy thought back to the first moment when she realized she wanted to start Urano Metria. She remembered being a young author with a manuscript and trying to get it published. The multiple rejections and long nights editing her work over and over again. Her company was born from those hard times. She wanted to provide a haven for those authors who felt like their stories would never be noticed. "I remember what it was like to be a struggling writer, and I wanted to start a company that could help those who just wanted to share their stories."

"You wrote a book?"

"Yeah, years ago. It was when I first came to New York."

"Show me." He stood from his seat, an eager expression on his face.

"What?" Lucy was shocked by his interest.

"You must have a copy here. Let me see it."

"Why? It's nothing special."

"You wrote it, so I want to see it." Natsu stared at her, smiling.

"Fine," She relented finishing off the last of her wine. "It's in my office."

Lucy ventured into the second bedroom, the one she used for her office. Two walls were lined with bookshelves, filled with her favorite books. Though she didn't have nearly as many as Levy. A door led to the second full bath and another door hid her junk closet. Her office desk was situated in the center of the room, in the corner was a comfy light blue couch with throw pillows decorating it. On one of the walls hung the portrait Gray painted of her book to celebrate it getting published. A black starry sky took up most of the portrait and in the bottom half, a girl looked out a window of a yellow house.

"Here it is," she retrieved the book from the bottom shelf and handed it to Natsu.

"Hide the Stars," he read the title out loud. Truthfully, Lucy's _Star Lover's Series_ were the first books she wrote. Yet, she used a pen name at the time and a past connection to get them published. Still to this day she hasn't revealed to anyone that she is the author of them. _Hide the Stars_ was the first book she published using her own name and own means.

"It's about a young woman who copes with the loss of her true love," she explained. "Alone in the world, she tries to start again, by moving to a new city. There she believes she can escape her past and move on."

"That sounds really sad," Natsu furrowed his brow, looking at the book. "What inspired you to write it?" He asked.

"You know how writers are." Lucy shrugged taking the book from Natsu and placing it back on the shelf. "We can find inspiration in the most randomness of places, but it's been so long I can't really say." She stared at the book once more, silently remembering things better left forgotten. "Come on, let's clean the dishes."

"Ah I'll handle that. You can take a shower." The pair exited the room and Natsu went off to clear away their dinner.

Her bedroom was one of her favorite things about her apartment. One wall was made entirely of exposed brick in varied colors of pale gray and dusty red. A large window fitted into the wall, allowing for streams of sunlight or moonlight to enter the room, illuminating the other three bare white walls. Her queen sized bed stuck out from another wall, dressed all in white linens and a frilly white comforter. A pale pink blanket was draped over one corner. Lucy was addicted to pillows, and they were all situated against her grey headboard. Mirrored night stands were positioned on either side of the bed with a lamp placed on each. A light gray ottoman sat at the foot of her bed. A chest of drawers was pushed against the remaining wall, with random items of Lucy's jewelry scattered across the surface. Next to it was the door that led to her bathroom and closet. Entering her room, Lucy noticed that Natsu had made the bed and that his black duffle bag was situated in the corner.

She took off her jewelry, adding the items to the other scattered pieces on the dresser. Walking through her closet, she opened the door that led to her bathroom. Inside there was a lovely sunken bath, old candles circling the lip. The shower was tucked away in the corner. Above the two sink marbled counter top, a long mirror took up most of the wall to her left. A small door on her right hid her toilet from view. Lucy turned the knobs to fill the tub with steaming hot water. Reaching underneath the sink, she grabbed her selection of bath bombs and selected the Big Blue. Dropping the Lush product into the bath, transformed the clear waters into a blue oasis. She stripped her clothes quickly and released her hair from its bun before sinking into the relaxing warm water.

Normally her baths were a time for relaxation, to wash away the layers of stress that had built up throughout the day. However, showing Natsu _Hide the Stars_ had made her mind remember a sadness she was trying to forget.

"It's been 5 years," she mumbled, sinking deeper into the tub. "Why can't I move on?"

She stayed in the tub until the water went cold. Her fingers were wrinkly and her body bright pink. Dripping on the floor, Lucy reached for a towel. She wrapped one light blue towel around her and grabbed a second for her hair. She rubbed away most of the wetness from her hair, before reaching for her blow dryer. One of the things she couldn't stand in life was going around in dripping wet hair. Once her hair was finally dried, she dressed in her night slip and fluffy pink robe.

More than anything, Lucy wanted to crawl into bed and sleep, but she still had to look over her notes for her meeting tomorrow. Trekking back into the living room, Lucy plopped onto her couch and reached for her work bag. She was already reviewing the second page of notes, when Natsu emerged from the hallway. He was dressed in pajamas, black knit pants and shirtless. Lucy blushed at the sight of him, trying to concentrate on her work and not his display of skin.

"You're still working?" He asked, taking a seat next to her.

"Yeah, I have a meeting tomorrow." Sitting this close, she noticed he smelled like soap, water and candle light after his shower. It was a fresh smell, one that she wanted to curl up into. _Stop it Lucy. Focus. Get back to your notes_.

"What's the meeting over?" Natsu leaned closer towards her, his head hovering over her notes. Two drops of water dripped down from his hair and onto her paper. Lucy looked up as another drop fell onto the page.

"Your hair is still wet. Why didn't you dry it?" His pink hair was matted down with moisture. Drops of water were collecting at the ends.

"It'll dry eventually."

"Ugh, wait here." She got up, setting her notes to the side. Lucy returned with her blow dryer and brush in hand. She plugged it into an outlet and sat back down on the couch, motioning for Natsu to sit in front of her.

"What are you doing?" He asked arching a brow as he sat down, crossing his legs.

"Drying your hair. You're dripping all over my notes."

Natsu leaned against her bare legs, tilting his head down. Lucy directed the hot air over his hair, brushing it gently as she dried it. As the water evaporated, his hair started to return to its usual spiky state. Her fingers twitched slightly with the desire to run through his pink locks. She gripped the brush tighter to rein in her desire. _Wait. What am I doing? I should have just let him do this himself?_ Lucy thought as she continued to dry his hair. _But he would probably only halfway do it and start dripping over my notes again_.

When his hair was finally dried, she turned off the blow dryer. "There," she said. "Now you can stop soaking my notes."

"Okay." Natsu leaned his head back, his soft hair pressing against her knees as he looked up at her. "You'll just have to dry my hair again tomorrow night."

"You act like I have nothing better to do than dry your hair." She responded.

"Come on," he pleaded. "That was so relaxing."

Lucy scoffed and rolled her eyes. "One time deal."

"No," Natsu whined. "I'll dry your hair for you next time. "

The image of Natsu drying her hair played in her mind. His strong hands, gently brushing her hair as the blow dryer enveloped her with a warm air. His fingers were running through her long blonde hair, checking to see if it was still damp. The closeness of their bodies as she leaned against him.

She blushed furiously as she willed her fantasy away. "I-I have to get back to work."

Natsu fell against the couch as she hastily stood to put away the blow dryer and brush. When she returned, Natsu was looking over her cover design notes.

"That's technically confidential," she said retrieving the notes from him.

"Well you're always working so I thought I might lend you my expertise."

Lucy raised an eyebrow as she sat next to him. "Treasure hunter by day? Publisher by night?"

"Ha. No. One of my many talents is reading people. You know. What makes them tick? What makes them sad? What makes them whip out their wallets and buy something. Take this cover for example." Natsu pointed at the page he was looking at. It was the cover design for a book titled _Sword and Shield_. The cover design for the book consisted of an unsheathed sword with an unadorned hilt crossed with a beaten down shield.

"Now this cover design is a literal translation of the title, but it doesn't excite me. My mind instantly goes to some Medieval Era drama. Yet, the synopsis for this story is far from that. It says here that Sword and Shield is actually about a middle age woman who gets caught up in a whirlwind romance with a dashing younger man. Her male best friend doesn't trust the guy and tries to protect her friend from him. The main character is caught between a new love and old friend. One wants to rescue her from her mundane life, offering her a chance to experience the love and adventure she always wanted. The other wants to remind her of all the things make her life great."

"I agree that the cover design and story are not connecting. It's portraying two different messages. I think the design team wanted to surprise the readers, but I don't think it would go over well."

"Right. The book seems to be geared towards the age group the main character is in. I don't think middle aged women are going to want to pick up a book that looks like it's about war drama when they were looking for a book to relate to."

"So what would you suggest then? Show me this _talent_ of yours," Lucy said.

Natsu pondered for a moment, looking at the cover design and reading the synopsis once more. "Obviously there is going to be a love triangle here. How about showing a woman facing two men offering their hands to her? It would identify more with the story I think."

Lucy looked over her own notes for this cover design and nodded in agreement. "Yeah it actually does. I read this story and feel like your suggestion would be a better fit than the existing option." She added the notes to the paper, already envisioning the new design. Flipping the page, the next cover design was for a book titled _Chef Beth_.

Natsu and Lucy sat side by side on her couch and continued to go over the cover designs well into the night. It was just before 11 when they finished going over the last cover design. Natsu stood to return the mugs of tea Lucy had made earlier, back to the kitchen. Lucy rubbed her eyes. Her exhaustion was getting the better of her. Wrapping her robe tighter around her, she leaned against the arm of the couch to rest her eyes. She wanted to look over the designs one more time before she went to bed. _Just for 5 minutes, then I'll get up_. She told herself. Her eyelids were heavy, closing quickly as she instantly fell asleep _._

* * *

An alarm woke her with a start. The alarm was coming from her phone that was placed on her bedside table. Mumbling curses, Lucy snatched the phone and turned the alarm off. A faint morning light was lazily drifting through the room. The tendrils of her dream were slipping away from her as her mind shifted to reality. All she could remember dreaming about was embracing a giant candle. It definitely didn't make any sense to her. Shaking her head, Lucy stretched before climbing out of bed.

 _How did I get in my bed_? She thought as her feet touched the floor. The last thing she remembered last night was resting her eyes for a moment after reviewing the cover designs with Natsu. _Did he-Did he carry me?_ Lucy blushed and her eyes widened at the thought. Looking at the bed, she saw that the other side was messed up as well. _Did he stay here with me again_?

Her phone beeped, indicating she had a new text message. She unlocked her phone and saw it was from an unknown number.

 **Yo!**

 **Went for a run and food.**

 **Be back soon.**

This must be Natsu's number. Lucy updated the contact on her phone before she replied.

 **Run fast.**

 **Bring coffee. ;)**

She took a quick shower, and then dried her hair. For today, she chose to wear a blush sheath dress with a black double breasted jacket, a skinny black belt, and black, pointed toe t-strap heels. Wearing pink made Lucy feel full of energy. It was going to be another day full of meetings and after yesterday dragged on; she was going to need all the energy she could get. She applied light make up on after situating her hair in a low bun allowing for a few tendrils of blonde hair to frame her face. She looked over her appearance in the mirror and smiled with satisfaction. Exiting the bathroom, Lucy walked over and grabbed her watch from her dresser. She quickly made the bed, picking up the pillows that had fallen to the floor. Grabbing her phone, she walked to the living room where she gathered her purse, files, and computer bag together.

"I'm back," Natsu's voice echoed from the doorway. He appeared carrying two cups of coffee in one hand and a brown paper bag in the other. He was wearing his usual black attire, except he was wearing black jogging pants and tennis shoes. For someone who had supposedly come from a run, he looked like he hadn't even broken a sweat. "I come with treasure from my latest hunt." He held out his hand, offering her one of the cups of coffee. Lucy laughed as she took the coffee. She took a sip and sighed. The warm coffee woke up her senses. It was a rich coffee with caramel flavoring. The bitter and sweet tastes mingled together in harmony.

"Thanks," Lucy said as she took another sip.

"Wait there's more." He handed her the brown bag. Opening the bag, Lucy peered in and saw a wholegrain cinnamon and raisin bagel. Packets of cream cheese were placed inside as well.

"I already ate mine on the way here," he grinned. "You're lucky I didn't eat yours too."

"You're so kind," she said, dripping with sarcasm as she closed up the bag. "I'll eat it when I get to the office." She grabbed her purse and laptop bag, settling them on her right shoulder.

"You're leaving already?" Natsu frowned as he watched her gather her things.

"I have more meetings this morning, and I need to get there early to make sure everything is in order."

"That doesn't sound like fun."

"Well not everyone can travel the world hunting treasure like you for a living."

"Would you?"

"Would I what?" Lucy looked at her watch and noted the time. She still had a few minutes before she needed to leave.

"Hunt treasure."

"I mean, it would be fun to try it once." She imaged herself scouring dark caves, ancient temples, and thick forests, hunting for lost pieces of art, gold, and jewels. It would be like living in one of the stories she grew up listening to as a kid. The never ending adventure of hunting the treasures the world tried to hide. "But I have a company to run. I can't just leave everyone while I go treasure hunting."

"But you're the CEO, can't you just do whatever you want?" Natsu asked, sipping his coffee.

"I could never do that," Lucy's eyes widened at the thought. Leaving others to do the work she herself could do and just reaping all the benefits was not the type of person she was. Lucy saw her employees as equals. They all contributed to the success of the company. They all shared the failures as well. Just because she was CEO did not make her better or more important than anyone. They were all working towards the same goal.

"It seems like all you do is work though. When is the last time you took a break? A vacation?"

"Vacation?" She thought about it, but the last trip she had been on wasn't a pleasant experience for her. That had been 5 years ago. After publishing her book and starting Urano Metria, all she could focus on was work. Even when she was helping Levy plan her wedding she was still working. Some days the long hours wore her down, but her work had become her life.

"You're a workaholic," Natsu declared. He stood and circled Lucy. "You have one of the worst cases of workaholism I've ever seen. It's quite serious. You can't even tell me the last time you've taken a vacation."

"So, lots of people work a lot. It's normal. " Lucy fidgeted, uncomfortable with the way Natsu was walking around her. "Don't circle me like a predator." Lucy said.

Natsu stopped and smirked. His black eyes glinted as he narrowed them at her and arched his eyebrow. "Predator?" He stepped closer to her. "So would that make you the prey?" The space between them seemed to flare up with heat. He was staring at her with such intensity that it seemed she was going to be set on fire.

"That's-That's not what I meant," She stammered.

"No that's not right. I can see it." Natsu leaned towards her. "You're too fiery to be someone's prey. You have the eyes of a predator."

 _Too close. Too close. Too close._ Lucy felt like she was being absorbed into his onyx eyes. The way he was staring at her gave her goose bumps and made her heart hammer in her chest.

"We're not animals," she managed.

"What a shame," Natsu stood back. "I was going to volunteer to be your prey."

"Wh-I- uh…."

Looking at her watch again to hide her blush, Lucy noticed it was time to go. "Well time for this "workaholic" to get to work. Thanks for the treasure though," she held up the brown bag and coffee and wiggled them in the air as she scurried away. Natsu followed her, leaning against the open door as Lucy stepped into the hall. She stopped and turned around. His arms were crossed against his chest, coffee still in hand as he watched her. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. She shook her head, before hurrying towards the elevator. The look in his eyes made her feel more like prey than predator.

The finance meeting was moved to the first meeting of the day. The director of the department provided an impressive presentation of the company's sales last month and excellent recommendations to continue boosting their revenue. If the projections were correct, next month's sales would be even greater. The cover design meeting that followed was also very productive. Most of the recommendations Lucy and Natsu had come up with last night were well received. Some other ideas from various members on the board were adopted as well. The morning was busy, but it was going by quickly. After the conclusion of the cover design meeting, Lucy was going to spend a few hours going over some of the manuscript reports that were on her desk. She entered her office, pumping herself up to tackle the next project when she noticed something was off.

"Yo," Natsu called out to her. He was lounging on one of her couches; his black duffle bag at his feet.

"Wh-What are you doing here?" she questioned.

"You have a pretty sweet office here," He stood and looked around the space. "These paintings are great too."

"You're ignoring my question," Lucy pointed out. "And thanks. Gray painted them for me." At the mention of Gray's name, Natsu's smirk faltered. He immediately turned away from the paintings.

"Nevermind. I prefer the view instead," he muttered.

"Natsu. Why are you here?"

"Right," he said turning towards her. "We don't have much time." He grabbed his black duffle bag, slinging it over his shoulders. "Let's go."

"Go," Lucy asked confused. "I can't go anywhere. I'm working now." She walked to her desk, gesturing toward the stack of files for emphasis. Natsu stared at her, crossing his arms across his chest as he furrowed his brow.

"This is for work," He clarified. "I got a call from a client and they need us to fly out tonight. There's a plane ready to take us to the meet up. I came to get you since you weren't answering my texts."

 _Texts_? Lucy grabbed her phone from her desk drawer and powered it on. Sure enough, Natsu had tried texting her. She shook her head still confused. "But why-"

"Because you said you would like to try treasure hunting," he cut in. "So you're coming with me."

"Natsu, I wasn't serious. I can't just leave my job and go off treasure hunting with you."

"Sure you can," he grinned. Lucy sighed, trying to rein in her frustration. The idea of hunting treasure with Natsu did sound appealing, and a part of her wanted to experience that adventure. But she just couldn't. As the head of her business, she couldn't just leave. But since she couldn't go, that would mean he would leave again. This time she would see it coming, but she didn't want to be alone. Levy wasn't back yet and she hadn't heard from Gray in a while. She would be fine, right? A knock on the door, made Lucy look up to see Virgo entering her office.

"Excuse me ma'am," Virgo said as she came forward.

"Virgo," Lucy greeted.

"Ah Virgo," Natsu smiled at her. "Thanks again for letting me wait in here."

"Certainly, sir." She inclined her head towards him.

"Virgo, you let him in here?" Lucy asked, shocked.

"Yes ma'am. I knew you would come back here after your meeting and Mr. Natsu needed to speak with you." Virgo explained. "I thought it would be best if he waited for you in here."

Lucy sat in her chair and rubbed her temples. "Well I'm sorry to sound rude, but I'm way too busy now Natsu. Like I said this morning, treasure hunting sounds like fun, but I can't leave my company."

"Actually," Virgo countered. "You can."

"Virgo?" Lucy looked at her secretary who was staring at her blankly.

"The company will not succumb to ruins because you're not here. Please, have a little more faith in your employees ma'am."

"I-I didn't mean-" She never took a vacation because she didn't want her employees to think she was slacking off. Her employees worked just as hard as her. It was never her intention to make it seem like she didn't have any faith in them.

"We understand ma'am," Virgo assured her. "But we're also worried about you. You've been working incredibly hard since the very beginning. We don't want you to overwork yourself. We all would feel better if you relaxed every now and again."

"Virgo…" _They were worried about me? All this time?_

Natsu clapped his hands together. "That settles it. Let's go Lucy!"

"But-"

"Go with him Lucy," Virgo encouraged, giving her a rare smile.

"I haven't even packed yet." Lucy countered.

"I have arranged a bag for you ma'am." Virgo produced a pink duffle bag, handing it to Lucy. "Your clothes, passport, and other…necessities are all included." She gave Lucy a wink that made Lucy fear for what she had packed.

"How did you…" Lucy trailed off when Virgo and Natsu shared a mischievous look. Before she could comment, Natsu pulled her out of her chair and out of the office.

"Come on Lucy," He said as he guided her into the elevator. "Your first hunt begins."


	7. Chapter 7

"What am I doing?" Lucy asked herself as she walked across the tarmac, her heels clicking across the cement. Her pink duffle bag rested against her side as it hung from her right shoulder. After leaving Urano Metria, they were driven to a private airfield where a white plane awaited them. Natsu had explained to her that once he agrees to meet a client, a private plane was made available to him. It was one of his rules that he would never accept a treasure hunt request until he met the client in person. This was where his talent with reading people came in hand. He had to interview the client first, yet he never knew where he would end up or who the client was until he arrived. Most of his clients preferred anonymity until the actual meeting. All those factors had made Lucy wary about going treasure hunting now, so as the plane came closer, she asked herself again, "What am I doing?"

"Getting on a plane," Natsu yawned, several steps behind her.

"But we don't even know where we're going or who we're even working for!" She stopped at the foot of the stairs leading into the plane, contemplating whether or not to actually go through with this. It had only been two days since Natsu had come back and now she was jetting off to some unknown location with him. This wasn't something she would normally do. Was she making a mistake?

Lucy and Natsu had grown a little closer, but she still knew so little about him. All she really knew was that he was a treasure hunter; he was arrogant, demanding, and narcissistic; he irritated her with his smirks; and he had a weird obsession with black clothing. Still, she remembered how he had surprised her by giving Levy and Gajeel the Iron Maidens; how he didn't want to be a stranger to her; how, sometimes, when he smiled it would light up his face; how he could constantly make her heart turn into an acrobat; how fiercely he made promises as if he was offering his own life; how he had comforted her without making a big deal out of it.

What she knew really wasn't a lot to go on. There was too much mystery about him. She didn't know what Natsu had said to Virgo, but she liked him. Levy seemed to like him, and Gajeel and Wendy grew up with him. Gray didn't like him, but Natsu hadn't really given him much reason to.

Gray. She thought about her best friend. He was still gone on his business trip, and she hadn't heard from him. He hadn't texted or called her since he left her that voicemail almost two weeks ago. She wondered what he was doing now.

Lucy sighed, gripping the railing of the stairs. _I'm only going since everyone at work was worried about me. A couple days away from the office will be good. I'll recharge my batteries and then get back to work._

Natsu yawned again. He had caught up with her and stood behind her. His eyelids were drooping, exhaustion etched on his face.

 _He looks like he's about to fall asleep_ , she thought as she started climbing up the stairs.

Inside, cream-colored leathered seats filled the space. There were four seats on each side of the plane – two sets of chairs faced each other with an oval window between them. Rich mahogany wood panels covered the interior walls, making Lucy feel like she was inside a lounge instead of a plane. She could see the back of the heads of the captain and co-pilot as they fiddled with the control panels in the cockpit. The back of the plane showed three doors. One was labeled for the bathroom, the second was labeled for storage, and the third door was unlabeled.

Lucy took a window seat on the right side of the plane, setting her duffle bag on the chair facing her. She didn't mind flying. Often times she would travel with Virgo and a few employees to meet with their branch offices across the country or to go to different conferences. Her usual flight routine consisted of plugging in her headphones and listening to music while she shuffled through more work. It made the longer flights more bearable. When they took a rare overnight flight, Virgo would give her an eye mask to help her sleep since the overhead lights bothered her.

Natsu trudged into the plane, dropping his duffle bag into a chair and collapsing into the seat next to Lucy. He raised his arms over his head as he stretched, yawning loudly.

"Why are you so tired?" Lucy asked. Natsu reclined his chair, crossing his arms behind his head.

"Just the thought of flying makes me sleepy," he replied closing his eyes. "Wake me up when we get there, will yah?"

Before she could respond, a flight attendant appeared from the unmarked door. She was wearing a crisp blue skirt suit and red kerchief tied around her neck. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a neat tight bun, and her full lips were painted with red lipstick that matched the color of her kerchief perfectly. Although she was wearing a uniform, the flight attendant was gorgeous.

"Good afternoon," she greeted them with a sparkling smile. "My name is Louisa, and I'll be attending to your needs throughout your flight. The captain is finishing the final preparations before take-off, so we'll be departing within a few minutes. Before we depart, we have a few amenities available to make your flight more comfortable." Louisa held a small remote in her hand and pressed a button. A flat screen TV began to emerge in front of them, rising from the floor. The screen flickered to life, displaying multiple movie titles and popular television shows.

"We have several movie selections for you to choose from in order to pass the time. You can access the web with this device as well." She handed Lucy the remote indicating the buttons to press to activate the different options. "I'll be able to offer you refreshments after we take off, but is there anything you might need before then?"

Lucy looked at Natsu waiting to see if he would respond, but his eyes were closed. Shaking her head slightly at him, Lucy returned Louisa's smile. "May I have a blanket?" Lucy asked.

"Certainly, ma'am." Louisa walked back through the door and returned a moment later with a soft tan blanket.

"Thank you," Lucy smiled. Louisa gave a slight nod before returning back through the door.

Scrolling through the options, Lucy stopped when she saw the complete works of Indiana Jones and selected it. She snuggled into the soft blanket, reclining slightly in the chair.

"Time for some research," she muttered as the plane started its ascent.

Louisa returned shortly after take-off with a cart filled with delicious snacks. Lucy chose a water and popcorn mixed with chocolate. It was one of her weird snack habits; Gray would often tease her when they watched movies together. The buttery popcorn mixed with the sweet chocolate bites was the perfect complement to any movie.

The end credits for the third movie were scrolling across the screen. Louisa had already taken away the remnants of the popcorn and chocolate Lucy had munched on. The fourth movie was about to start, but Lucy's eyes were getting heavy. They still hadn't landed, and Louisa was not allowed to divulge any information to Lucy, no matter how nicely she asked.

Natsu hadn't moved since he fell asleep before take-off. His mouth hung open slightly as he slept. Just looking at him made Lucy's eyelids droop even lower. The fourth movie was starting, but Lucy couldn't keep her attention on it. Snuggling more into her blanket, Lucy relaxed and fell asleep.

"Lucy. Lucy, wake up."

She opened her eyes slowly, still groggy from her nap. Natsu was shaking her shoulder gently, both their duffle bags hanging from his shoulder. The plane was dark with the floor lights illuminating the way to the exit. She stood, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Outside the window, the world was dark. She could see it was already night, stars peeking through the cloudy skies.

"Where are we?" she asked, following Natsu out of the plane.

"I'm not sure, but-" He stopped at the foot of the stairs almost causing Lucy to knock into him.

"Natsu?" She followed his line of sight to a black car that was parked a few feet away. Two men in black suits stepped out of the vehicle. One was massive, broad shouldered, bald, and rippling with muscles. The other was average height and lean with black hair that rested on his shoulders.

"Never mind; I know where we are," he said as he glared at the men.

"Natsu, what's going on?" The men began to approach them, a dark glint in their eyes as she fixed her gaze to them. She noticed they were both carrying black cloth bags in their hands and wearing black leather gloves.

"Lucy, listen to me," he grabbed her hand and started walking towards the men. "I need you to trust me right now. Disregarding how this may seem, you're not in any danger."

"Mr. Dragneel," the shorter man called out to them, his voice thick with an Italian accent, "I believe you're familiar with what happens next."

Natsu scoffed. "After all this time, is this really necessary?"

"Quite," the other man answered with a similar Italian accent.

"Is what necessary?" Lucy asked, fear creeping into her heart. Her eyes darted from the men and to the black bags in their hands. Despite what Natsu had said, everything screamed she was in danger. She wanted to run. She wanted to get back on the plane and go back home. It was stupid and foolish to come here in the first place, where ever 'here' was.

"Ah," the lean man answered, "you didn't tell her?"

"There was no time. I just figured out who my client was as I stepped off the plane."

"Well, allow me to, then." He turned towards Lucy holding up the black bag. "You see, my dear, we have been ordered here to transport Mr. Dragneel and yourself to a particular secret location. However, in order to keep it a secret, you're going to have to be blindfolded."

"Why is it a secret?" Lucy took a step back away from the men. Natsu's hand squeezed hers, sending a silent message.

"She sure does ask a lot of questions." The other man acknowledged, annoyance coloring his tone. He stepped forward, his body towering over them. "We don't have to blindfold you. We can just knock you out if you prefer."

Lucy gasped, and Natsu stepped in front of her. "Enough," he said, his tone hard. "Take us to your boss before he has to start looking for a new lackey."

The man glared at Natsu, but his partner put a hand out to stop him from saying anything further. "Quite right, Mr. Dragneel; we have a schedule to keep."

"Lucy," Natsu said as he turned towards her. "Everything's fine. I pr-" The bald man placed the black bag over Natsu's head, tied it off, and began to lead him back to the car.

Lucy took another step back, but bumped into the other man. "Forgive me, dearie," he said as he placed the other bag over her head. _What am I doing?_ Lucy asked herself as the world went dark.

* * *

Being driven blindfolded in an unknown country to an unknown location to an unknown client with two unknown men was far from her daydreams when she imaged herself as a treasure hunter. This was by no means fun or exciting; it was terrifying. She wanted to go home. She had enough of this adventure.

The car came to a stop, and she heard the engine cut off. Leather clad hands guided her out of the car and up a flight of stairs. They entered an elevator, and she felt their descent. Her heart was hammering in her chest as they continued walking down a hallway, turning left here, down a flight of steps there, turning right and then left again. Lucy tried to keep track of their steps, but she lost track after the fifth turn. _Where the hell are they taking us?_ she thought as she heard a door open. Natsu had told her to trust him. He told her she wasn't in any danger, yet she couldn't believe that. The fact that she wasn't even allowed to see where she was being taken to meant that the client had to be someone who couldn't afford to let others know where he was. This secrecy meant he had a lot to lose. If the client was willing to go to such lengths to protect his secrecy, it meant he would go to even greater lengths if he felt it was threatened. How could she not be afraid? How could she trust Natsu given the situation at hand?

She was angry at him, angry because he didn't warn her about this. He had made treasure hunting sound so glamorous – an adventure she was missing out on. Come treasure hunting with me, he said. It'll be fun, he said. Yeah, more like: Lucy why don't you take a break from work to work on…you know…getting yourself killed. _If I make it out of here alive,_ she told herself, _I promise I'll-_

The black bag was removed from her head, causing Lucy to blink hard as she adjusted to the light in the room. Once her eyes adjusted, she noticed she was in a richly furnished office. Rich mahogany seemed to cover every surface: from the walls to the floor and even the sculpted wooden designs on the ceiling. The furnishing was also made of polished mahogany. A large desk with a red velvet surface was situated before them, an imposing leather armchair paired with it. A few feet away from them, there was a seating area with four large brown, leather armchairs, two on either side of a wooden trunk. A fire roared in the background; a familiar painting sat atop the mantle. The darkness of the room was broken up by the green potted plants placed on side tables and tucked away in corners, as did the warm tan rugs on the floor. The overall effect of the room made Lucy feel small and meek. _That's the point idiot._

The two men that had brought them there stepped away from Natsu and Lucy to stand in opposite corners of the room.

"He'll come now," Natsu whispered to Lucy. "This particular client of mine has a flare for the dramatics." Natsu stood beside her, arms crossed and looking more annoyed than anything. _How can he be so calm?_ Lucy thought as her eyes darted around the room, searching for an exit or a weapon she could use to defend herself.

A section of the wall opened, and two gruff looking men entered, wearing similar black suits that their escorts were wearing. They stood behind the desk on either side of the chair. A moment later, a short round man entered, taking a seat at the desk. He was mostly bald except for the small patch of hair on the very crown of his head. He was dressed in a brown suit with tiny white strips running through it. Like Natsu, he wore a lot of rings on his fingers, but his were gold with giant precious stones fixed in them. Beside his obeseness, Lucy was impressed by the man's mustache. It was long and thin, curling back on itself at the ends.

"The Salamander arrives." The man smiled wide, a shiny gold tooth glinted at them. He spoke with a same Italian accent, but his voice was much deeper than the other two men.

"Salamander?" Lucy looked at Natsu, hoping for an explanation. He ignored her, his gaze fixed on the man in front of him.

"Was all this really necessary Gold Pistol?" Natsu motioned to the two men behind him. "I recognized your style the moment I stepped off the plane."

Gold Pistol smiled wider as he shrugged his shoulders. "We've worked together before Salamander. You have your rules as I have mine. But now let's discuss why I've flown you all the way out here. We've known each other for some time now, so I believe we can skip the formalities. I'm in quite a hurry to procure this piece." Gold Pistol snapped his fingers, and the man on his right set a brief case on the desk and opened it. Inside was a single blue file.

"Inside is a picture as well as a detailed description of the treasure I need you to procure for me at the upmost haste. There is also a report of the last known whereabouts of the treasure and eye witness accounts. Unfortunately, my team was unable to find this treasure, but they were able to gather intelligence indicating it might be still within the country."

Natsu took it and stilled when he saw its contents. "This…is the treasure?" His eyes flickered to Lucy's, before he closed the file hastily.

"Yes." Gold Pistol stroked the ends of his mustache as he spoke. "I know it's not my like my usual requests, but it is a treasure I need you to secure immediately. For a man with your talent and… eh… background, this hunt should be a cinch."

"I decline," Natsu said, tossing the file back into the briefcase. "Alright, Lucy, let's go." Natsu grabbed her hand and started leading her away.

"Wait, what was the treasure?" Lucy asked.

"No need to worry about it," he reassured her, but Lucy was unconvinced.

"S-Salamander!" Gold Pistol yelled after them, standing in his chair.

"Like you said, Gold Pistol you have your rules, and I have mine. I refuse, so we're done today. Call me when you have a treasure worth hunting."

"How dare you say that!" a shrilly voice called after them. Lucy turned around to see a woman had appeared and was glaring daggers at them. She was beautiful with a slender figure, long legs and a curvaceous body. She had long, wavy blue hair that stopped at the center of her back. She was wearing an expensive-looking outfit that consisted of a cream-colored dress made from silk and red heels that Lucy looked at with envy. Diamond earrings hung from her ears, and a blue sapphire glittered at her throat. However, it was her eyes that Lucy noticed were truly worth admiring. Her blue eyes were narrowed towards Natsu, but they held a fiery passion in them. "He's worth more than any treasure in this world!"

"Juvia?" Gold Pistol brow furrowed.

"He?" Lucy stopped, becoming more confused by the situation. She was scared and wanted to leave, but something felt off. _Why won't he tell me what the treasure is?_

"Natsu, let go." Lucy retrieved her hand from Natsu's grasp and went back to the brief case and took out the file. It took her a moment for her brain to realize what she was seeing. "But this can't be," Lucy thought as she saw the treasure. Treasure was gold or jewels or ancient artifacts. It wasn't supposed to be; it shouldn't be-

"Gray!" She gasped as she stared at the picture of her best friend. _He is the treasure? But I thought- He was supposed to be on a job. What does this shifty character want with Gray?_ "Tell me!" She demanded, slamming the file down on the desk. "What do you want with Gray?"

"Lucy, calm down." Natsu took a step towards her, but Lucy's glare stopped him.

"Calm down? How the hell am I supposed to be calm?" she shouted, unable to look at him. "They want Gray, and I want to know why!"

"That emotion." The Juvia's eyes widened. "What exactly is your relationship with Gray?"

"Gray is very special to me," she answered.

If he was in trouble, and she didn't do anything to save him, she couldn't bare it. These dangerous people wanted him for some reason, and she wanted to know why. She was going to protect her friend, no matter what. Lucy could feel tears welling up in her eyes. The thought of something terrible happening to Gray made her heart ache. He was her best friend after all.

"Special?" Juvia's face contorted. Her eyes went cold and narrowed as she glared at Lucy. Her lips drooped down and parted to form her scowl. Her hands bawled into fists, shaking at her sides. An aura of anger and hatred rolled off of her. The beautiful woman now resembled a demon.

"Juvia will not let you steal Gray away from her. Gray loves Juvia. Juvia will get rid of her love rival to make sure he stays with Juvia."

"Love rival? No, Gray's just-"

"Men," Juvia snapped her fingers. The four men in the room snapped to attention. "Kill her."

"Wh-"

In a whirl of motion, the two men leapt over the desk, pinning Lucy to the ground. She cried out as they held her down. The lean man that escorted Lucy and Natsu to the room pulled out a small blade and handed it to his partner who held it over Lucy's body. He smiled darkly as he plunged the blade towards her. Lucy shut her eyes and screamed.

"As if I'd let you!" she heard Natsu shout. A man yelled in pain, and the blade clattered on the ground. Opening her eyes slowly, Lucy saw Natsu was standing in front of her. The yell she heard came from the man who was wielding the blade. He was now lying on the ground, cradling his broken wrist. The blade he tried to kill her with was lying on the ground by Juvia's feet.

"Gold Pistol," Natsu's voice was cold and dark, making Lucy shiver with fear. "I'll locate the treasure for you. But if you don't tell your goons to let go of my partner, I'll remind everyone in here why they call me Salamander."

The tension in the room was heavy; Natsu's words made the men that held her down tremble. Gold Pistol swore under his breath but motioned for his men to release Lucy.

"Uncle-" Juvia began to protest, but Gold Pistol silenced her with a look.

"Men, escort my niece back to her room. Her assistance is not needed with these business matters." The two men that held Lucy down moved away from her and towards Juvia.

"Don't touch Juvia." She smacked the hand away from one of the men and turned her glare to Lucy. Juvia's eyes were burning daggers into her. Juvia hit the hilt of the blade with her heel, causing it to leap into the air. She snatched it from the air and pointed it at Lucy, as Natsu moved to stand between them. "Bring Juvia's fiancé back, or Juvia will finish what she started." She shifted her glare to Natsu. "Juvia loves Gray more than Juvia fears the Salamander." Her heels clicked hard on the ground as she turned and stormed out of the room with the two men trailing her.

"Rocco."

The lean man straightened to attention as he turned towards Gold Pistol.

"Yes, boss?" Rocco answered.

"Take Frankie out of here. I'm tired of listening to his whimpering."

"But, boss-"

"I'm not accustomed to repeating myself, Rocco," Gold Pistol warned.

"R-right. Of course, boss." Rocco moved to assist his partner, easily shouldering the larger man's weight as the pair exited the room.

"Salamander," Gold Pistol sighed as he sat down heavily in his chair. "I trust you understand that I meant you no disrespect – you or your partner. Juvia…well, my niece can be a little of a romantic."

 _More like psycho-maniac_ , Lucy thought as she picked herself off the ground. _She almost killed me_. Her body was trembling at the memory. There was no way she was going to give Gray to Juvia.

"Let's just put this small matter behind us, shall we?" He clapped his hands and smiled wide, his gold tooth flashing. "I'm happy that you've accepted the hunt, but now I have less charming business to attend to. As always, my resources are at your disposable while you're hunting. You'll make better use of them than my men did anyway. Also, as an apology for what just occurred, I'll increase the payment for your services once you deliver the treasure to me."

Gold Pistol jumped down from his chair and waddled over to Natsu. Natsu's face was set in a chilly glare, but Gold Pistol just smiled up at him. "Oh, how I have missed that look, Salamander. It reminds me when-"

"Gold Pistol," Natsu warned, his voice hard.

The man's eyes flickered to Lucy, causing a devilish gleam to appear in his eyes that frightened her. "I see." He curled his mustache with his hand again as he turned away from them. A section of the wood paneled wall opened up, revealing an exit.

"I trust you can see yourselves out, Salamander. We'll see each other again soon enough."

Natsu didn't say a word, throwing one last glare towards Gold Pistol as he grabbed the file and Lucy's hand, walking out of the room. They were in a large hallway; red carpet made up the floor, and exotic portraits hung at intervals on the wall. Natsu walked fast turning right, then left, and right again, leading her down long hallways and up a flight of steps to an elevator. It wasn't until they exited the elevator and were walking outside that Lucy realized Natsu had perfectly memorized the route Rocco and Frankie had taken them.

The black car they were driven in was still parked out front. Natsu opened the passenger door quickly.

"Lucy, get in," he ordered.

"No."

"No? Lucy, come on. We need to leave." He looked around the area, as if he was expecting someone to stop them.

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" she yelled. "Not- Not until you tell me what the hell is going on." She stood on the steps, glaring at him. So many things had happened to her since she agreed to go treasure hunting with him. She was kidnapped and almost killed. Her body was still trembling, remembering the look on Frankie's face as he plunged the blade towards her. Leaving with Natsu had been a mistake, and she knew that now. Nonetheless, despite everything that happened to her, nothing compared to the fact that Gray was in trouble.

What truly made her angry was that Gray was in trouble, and Natsu had not wanted to help him. She remembered the look he gave her when he saw what the treasure Gold Pistol wanted. He had refused Gold Pistol's request and tried to stop her from seeing what it was. He was going to abandon Gray and pretend like nothing happened. She knew they didn't get along, but that was going too far. Gold Pistol exuded danger, his crazy niece Juvia was psychotic, and now Natsu agreed to bring her best friend to them. There was no way Lucy was going to let that happen to Gray.

"Lucy, I'll explain everything, but not here," Natsu pleaded with her, but Lucy wouldn't budge.

"No. I need answers now. Where am I? Who is Gold Pistol? Juvia? Why did they call you Salamander? How do you know him? What do they want with Gray? Why did you agree to help them capture Gray?" She crossed her arms and glared at him." Natsu, I promise you I won't go anywhere with you until you start talking."

Natsu swore under his breath as he slammed the car door. He turned his back to her for a moment. She could see his shoulders rise up and down as he breathed in and out deeply. When he had calmed down, he faced her. His face was hard, matching her glare with one of his own.

"You're in Italy, just outside of Rome, I believe," he said as he climbed the stairs towards her.

"Italy?" Lucy looked around, hardly able to discern anything in the night. All she could tell was that they were standing at the entrance of a very large mansion. The surrounding area was flat and dark, shapes blending together in the night. Alhough, that would explain all the Italian accents.

"Gold Pistol is Juvia's uncle. But more importantly, he is also the leader of the Italian mafia. Boss "Gold Pistol" Salvatore Lupo." Natsu stopped a step below hers so they were at eye level.

"The- The leader of the Italian…mafia?"

"The princess just had to go and get himself involved with the wrong people," he mumbled.

"But why would Gray-"

"I don't know. But I won't answer any more of your questions until we're away from here," he cut in. "So please, Lucy, let's go." His features softened as he pleaded with her to leave.

Lucy still had so many questions, and the answers he did give her only created new ones.

"Fine. I'll go with you because I need your help finding Gray." She walked down the stairs, looking back at him as she passed him. He was staring down at her, relief in his eyes that she was finally going with him. "But don't misunderstand." He stilled on the steps, hearing the ice in her tone. "I won't hand Gray over to them."

It was quiet in the car as Natsu drove them away from the mansion. Lucy stared out the window, lost in her thoughts. The Italian mafia... Gray… Fiancé? None of it made any sense. He said he was commissioned to do some work overseas for a rich man. Was that man Gold Pistol? And what about Juvia? Lucy remembered the passionate way the beautiful woman had looked when she spoke about Gray and how angry she had gotten when she thought Lucy was her love rival. Was Gray really her fiancé? No. There had to be more to the story. Gray wasn't the type to fall in love so quickly. His heart had scars, just like hers. That was one of the reasons why Lucy and Gray had become so close. They respected each other's walls.

Natsu pulled up to a tall, skinny building. Even in the dark, she could tell that the building was painted a light blue; it had large windows with white shutters and dark vines clinging to the sides of the building. He turned off the engine and got out of the car. Lucy followed him and watched as he opened the trunk and retrieved their bags. There were three steps that led up to the brown door. A wrought iron knocker was hanging in the center of it. Natsu fished in his pockets and pulled out a set of keys. Selecting one, he lifted the knocker and inserted the key into the keyhole behind it. A click sounded, and the door opened. He ushered her inside and locked the door behind him.

"Are you hungry?" Natsu moved deeper inside the building, turning on lights as he went.

"No." Almost getting killed and finding out her best friend was wanted by the Italian mafia didn't give her much of an appetite. "Where are we now?" she asked as she followed him. He led her to a large kitchen with bright Tuscan yellow walls and dark wood floors. One wall was composed entirely of brick with two oven openings. The kitchen was equipped with modern appliances, all stainless steel. There was an island in the middle with a brown marble top and four stools pushed up against it. Pots and pans hung from the ceiling, as did potted plants that tumbled out of their containers. It was bright and cheerful in the kitchen, unlike how Lucy was feeling.

"In Rome," he answered. "This is one of my dad's houses. Well, technically he gave it to my sister."

"You have a sister?" Lucy asked as she took a seat on one of the stools.

"Yeah. She's older than me and from my other dad's first marriage." He dropped their bags onto the floor and grabbed two wine glasses from the cupboard, setting one in front of Lucy. Disappearing through a door, Natsu returned a moment later with a bottle of wine. He uncorked the bottle and poured the contents into their glasses, filling them with a rich red wine.

"Even though you're not hungry, I think you could use a drink." He reached into the refrigerator, pulling out some cold chicken, cheese, tomatoes, and a bowl full of green and purple grapes. He grabbed a loaf of bread from the counter and a knife from a drawer. Assembling the ingredients, Natsu made a quick sandwich and pushed the bowl of grapes towards Lucy.

She chugged down the wine. Her nerves were on end at the moment. Her body had stopped trembling, but inside, her emotions were on overdrive. Natsu poured her another glass, but she stopped herself from downing it. She needed to keep her wits about her. She had to focus on finding Gray and rescuing him from the mafia, and to do that, she needed answers.

"Alright; start talking, Salamander."

 **Author's Note:  
** (This chapter was betaread by **rasclieboobear**. If you want your story in excellent hands, send it over to this user! Your story will be returned promptly, with clear edits, and great feedback! Thanks again!)


	8. Chapter 8

Lucy tapped her fingers against the marble counter top, impatiently waiting for Natsu to finish eating and explain himself. He was skimming over the file while he ate and hadn't let Lucy look at it yet. How did he know Gold Pistol? What exactly was his connection with the Italian Mafia? Why did they call him Salamander? How did Gray get mixed up with the mafia to begin with? And where was Gray? There was still so much about the situation she didn't understand, and in order to save Gray, she needed all the answers she could get. She sipped her wine, trying to remain calm, but inside, her nerves were frying. It hadn't even been 24 hours since she left New York with Natsu to go treasure hunting and everything was a mess. Gray—Gray was in danger, and she was sitting around doing nothing. How could Natsu not see the severity of the situation they were in? How could he act like nothing was the matter? Where was the urgency?

"Alright." Natsu stood abruptly, having finished eating and turned towards Lucy. His gaze was grave; his onyx eyes were full of a severity that made Lucy mentally prepare herself for what he was about to say next. Finally, she was going to get the answers she needed – the answers that would help save her best friend.

"I'm still hungry!" he roared, grinning as he walked to the fridge. Lucy choked on her wine, almost spilling her glass at the same time. She coughed several times, trying to recover herself.

"N-Natsu!" she coughed.

Natsu rummaged through the fridge, collecting the ingredients for his sandwich again. "Don't worry there's still plenty of food left," he responded over his shoulder. "There are caretakers who look after this place when my sister goes off to one of her other haunts. They always make sure the fridge is stocked just in case my sister comes by. Though, they mainly worry about making sure there's enough wine in the cellar. Cana is definitely-"

"That's not what I meant!" The tone in Lucy's voice made Natsu pause and stop messing around in the fridge. "You said you would explain everything once we got away from Gold Pistol."

"I suppose you want your answers now," he sighed, closing the fridge. "Fine." He grabbed the file from the counter and dropped it in front of her. Gray's face peered up at her from the many pictures taken of him that spilled out of the folder. Notes on Gray's activities for the past two weeks were mingled in with the pictures along with a full background investigation of him.

"It states that the princess was commissioned by Gold Pistol at the request of his niece, Juvia. Apparently, she's a huge fan of his work, so Gold Pistol brought him to Italy to paint several portraits of her as a birthday present. The report goes on to say that the two fell in love during their time together and are set to wed early next month. There's even a save-the-date card mingled in there."

"That can't be the truth!" Lucy protested. Still, the save-the-date card notified the recipients that Gray Fullbuster and Juvia Lockser were to wed in only three weeks. "But Gray…Gray's not the type of person to marry somebody he just met, especially somebody like her. There's no way he could love her." A girl who ordered men to kill another girl simply because she was friends with their love interests was somebody Gray would never go for. Lucy tossed the wedding invitation away, allowing it to skid across the counter top, far away from her. The thought of Gray marrying Juvia was preposterous. It just didn't make sense to Lucy at all. It was out of character for him.

"Jealous?" Natsu jested with little humor in his voice.

Lucy rolled her eyes in response as she continued shuffling through the information in the file. Natsu watched her for a moment before continuing on.

"Regardless of the princess's feelings, I could tell Juvia's were, indeed, true. The report isn't lying when it claims she loves him."

"How can you be certain? She seemed more psychotic than love-struck." However, remembering the look in Juvia's eyes when she yelled at Natsu made Lucy doubt her own words.

"I have a talent of reading people, remember?" He grabbed a handful of the purple grapes, popping them into his mouth. "Anyway, the last known sighting of the princess occurred when Juvia was out with him in Rome. They were looking at different wedding venues together when he disappeared. Immediately after noting his disappearance, Juvia had Gold Pistol lock down all transportation going in and out of Italy."

"He can do that?" She gasped.

"Yeah. It's taking a lot of his man power, but you can't leave or enter Italy without his knowledge. They have pictures of Gold Pistol's treasure at all stations. They're monitoring the movements of all of the passengers, but none of them have been flagged. That's why Gold Pistol believes he is still in Italy. And I agree with him."

"So that makes things easier right? All he has to do is take a train or rent a car or something and we'll know where he is." Lucy visibly relaxed a little. Their search was narrowed to one country, instead of the whole world. Even though it was still daunting, Lucy's hope of finding Gray rose significantly. "So we just wait for one of the places to get flagged and then we go and pick up Gray. Right?"

Natsu stared at her, giving her a look as if he was contemplating whether or not to tell her something. The hope that was rising sunk down into her heart fast.

"What? What is it? Tell me!" She pressured him.

"If it was that easy, Gold Pistol's men would have found Gray by now. So that leaves only two options. One: Your friend is dead-"

Lucy slapped Natsu across the face. Her anger had come over her hot and swift, moving her hand without a second's thought. The impact stung her hand, and the stool she was sitting on was knocked over. Natsu's eyes widened momentarily in shock but narrowed as he held her glare.

"Don't. Don't ever say that again," she threatened. "Unless you see it with your own eyes, there's no proof, and there's no need to say that."

Natsu touched the spot where Lucy slapped him and smirked. "That won't do," he said darkly, taking a step closer to her. Lucy took a step back, but he caught her wrist and held her there. He raised the hand she had slapped him with in front of him.

"Let go of-"

"Slaps are cute," he cut in, "but they don't speak loud enough." Natsu folded her fingers down, and laid her thumb across them to form a fist. "Next time I upset you, hit me with your fist so I can hear you loud and clear." He let her wrist go, and Lucy snatched her hand back.

"Don't say things that'll upset me then," she mumbled as she looked away again.

"That's something I can't promise," he said. She looked back at him, but he didn't seem upset that she had hit him. In fact, she couldn't read his expression at all.

"What's the other option," she said as she righted the stool she knocked over and sat back down. She didn't regret what she did, but she didn't want to mull over it either. It seemed Natsu silently agreed with her as he answered.

"The other option is a rival mafia group took him in an attempt to gain leverage against Gold Pistol."

"What? I thought Gold Pistol was the leader of the entire Italian Mafia. Who would go against him, and why would they kidnap Gray as leverage?" She looked down at one of the pictures of Gray in the file. He was being fed spoonfuls of gelato by Juvia, who looked completely blissful and vastly different from the woman who had threatened to kill her. In the picture the two looked like a couple on a date and Juvia looked definitely like a girl in love. "I would suspect Juvia would be a better option to make Gold Pistol do what they wanted."

"Even though Gold Pistol is the Boss and holds the majority of the power in Italy, there are other powerful members who want to claim that power for their own. The Underworld of the Italian Mafia is complicated, but one thing is clear: kidnapping Juvia will never be an option to gain power." Natsu grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and opened it, sipping on the drink.

"Why is that?" she asked, still staring at the picture in front of her.

"She is the reason why Gold Pistol became the Boss in the first place," he explained. "Her mother was Gold Pistol's younger sister. She held a lot of influence over the Italian Mafia and was a core reason it has the power it has today. However, she died and left Juvia in the care of her older brother, Gold Pistol. He used the influence of his deceased younger sister through Juvia to catapult himself up to the rank of Boss. Kidnapping Juvia would be seen as a grave offense and a death wish to anyone who tried."

"She has that much influence?!" Lucy was astounded. No wonder the men obeyed her without any hesitation.

"Yeah, even more so than she realizes," Natsu continued. "Juvia became a quiet and shy girl after her mother died. She's not really involved in the politics of the mafia, much to Gold Pistol's benefit. Still, Italy's Underworld sees it as its duty to protect Juvia and will do whatever it takes to make sure her happiness is assured. If Juvia wanted to, she could order the men to kill Gold Pistol and assume the title of Boss, and no one would think twice about it."

"Why are they so loyal to her? Did her mother really hold that much power?" Lucy asked, trying to wrap her mind around everything.

"Let's just say, Marcella "Tempesta" Lupo-Lockser was a terrifying woman. There's no one in the Underworld who doesn't know her name or remember what she did."

"If she's that important to the Italian Mafia, then why would Gray be kidnapped? If Juvia truly loves him as you say, then wouldn't they want to respect her happiness and protect him as well? This isn't making any sense." Lucy swirled the wine in her glass, peering into the glass in hopes that it might, somehow, bring clarity to the situation.

"That's the thing." Natsu leaned against the counter and crossed his arms, furrowing his brow. "If he was kidnapped by one of the powerful members in the Italian Mafia wanting to usurp Gold Pistol, it would explain why the princess hadn't been spotted at any of the places Gold Pistol is monitoring. The person would have considerable leverage and mobility among the Underworld to get around the traffic stops. However, in order to barter your friend's release, the person would reveal that he went against Juvia's happiness in the first place, which wouldn't go well for him at all."

"So it's someone that's outside the Italian Mafia, but still has enough knowledge and power to move around in the Underworld undetected. Is that even possible?" she asked.

Natsu's eyes widened, and then he smirked as he looked towards Lucy. "Of course!" He pushed off the counter and grabbed his duffle bag from the corner. He rummaged through it and pulled out a black leather jacket and a few other items he quickly stuffed into its pockets.

"I need to gather some more information to be sure, but I think we may have the beginning of a trail." Natsu shoved his arms into his jacket. He grabbed the file from the counter and took a photo of Gray out. "There's some people I need to…talk to first."

"Wait," she stood, following him. "We need to contact the police. If you think you might know who has Gray, we should hand over this information to them and get them involved. Maybe they'll be able to find Gray."

Natsu stopped only to laugh at her. "The police? Weren't you listening to me?"

Lucy puffed her cheeks. She didn't see what was so funny about suggesting the police become involved. Gray was tangled up with the Italian Mafia. They needed all the help they could get in order to rescue him, and going to the police made complete sense.

"Yes, I heard everything you said, and it's terrifying. That's why we need the police involved." She threw up her hands in exasperation. "They'll be able to help us and provide protection against Gold Pistol and whoever you think has Gray."

'Lucy. Lucy. Lucy. You're the CEO of a publishing company. Please tell me you have read at least one of the detective books you published," he laughed. "You would know that the police can't help us."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"Gold Pistol is the police," he stressed. "He has eyes and ears everywhere in Italy. If the man can lock down the whole transportation system in Italy, he has to have the means and the connections to do so. The police are in his pocket. They're already looking for the princess because of his instructions."

"Well, then I'll go to the United States Embassy. Surely Gold Pistol's reach doesn't stretch that far?" They were Americans in trouble in a foreign country. One of the functions of the embassy was to help in these kinds of situations. As a government entity, it should be immune to the corruption of Italy's Mafia.

"If it's in Italy, Gold Pistol has his hands in it," Natsu declared. "You don't seem to realize just how much influence the Mafia Underworld has."

"That's not right!" she protested.

"Regardless," he shrugged, "it's the truth. If you went to the police or to the embassy, Gold Pistol would know. And it wouldn't do you any good either. They're all looking for the princess anyways."

With that, Lucy felt defeated already. If the police couldn't help them and not even their own embassy, how were they going to save Gray? It was just the two of them against the entire Italian Mafia and whoever took Gray. The whole situation was overwhelming. Natsu, however, seemed unfazed by the odds. Looking at him now, he looked as if he was excited by the prospects. There was a devilish glint that flashed in his eyes when he figured out a clue to finding Gray.

"So we're on our own? How are we going to save Gray then?" Lucy sobbed.

Natsu gave her a look of mocked surprise. "You of little faith. I hunt and find rare treasure for a living. Finding the princess is nothing compared to what I normally do."

"But the person who is eluding all of Gold Pistol's traps is even more fearsome and powerful than him. And he has Gray!"

"I wouldn't say more powerful, but certainly smarter," Natsu corrected. "Though it seems like Gold Pistol is all powerful in Italy, there are holes in his power. And he's too prideful to realize that. If I'm right in my assumption, then the person who has your friend is definitely capable of maneuvering through the holes without alerting Gold Pistol to his activity."

"That doesn't make the situation any better," she groaned.

"Actually, it does," he countered.

"How?" She arched an eyebrow at him.

"Gold Pistol may be more powerful and this other person may be smarter than him, but I'm in a class of my own. I'm more terrifying than either of them," he smirked at her.

Lucy let herself feed off of Natsu's confidence to build up her own courage. She was terrified, but she wasn't going to let her fear stop her. The moment she found out that Gray was in trouble, she had already made up her mind to do whatever it took to save him, even if that meant going against Gold Pistol's power and outsmarting Gray's kidnapper. Somehow, she had to make sure the impossible happened.

"O-okay where are we going then?"

"We're not going anywhere," Natsu corrected. "You're staying here. I can't do what I need to do with you present."

"What? I'm not staying behind. Gray's my friend. I'm not going to sit here and do nothing to save him." Lucy crossed her arms across her chest. "Besides, you promised to bring Gray back to Gold Pistol. I'm not going to let that happen." She knew if the situations were reversed, Gray would stop at nothing to rescue her. Her best friend always worried about her and had looked out for her for so many years. She wasn't going to repay his friendship with inaction.

"I never promised Gold Pistol anything," Natsu clarified. "I told Gold Pistol I would locate the treasure he wanted. And I will. But, I never said anything about handing the princess over to him."

"But you accepted Gold Pistol's treasure request. He's expecting you to deliver Gray to him, so that means you have to…." She trailed off when Natsu laughed dryly.

"Did you forget that I wanted to refuse the hunt in the first place?" he reminded her.

"Well weren't you just going to leave him here in the clutches of the mafia though? You said the treasure wasn't worth hunting, and you also didn't want me to see that it was Gray in the first place," Lucy stated.

Natsu sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I knew how you would react if you saw the princess's face in the file. As much as I hate to admit it, I know you two are close,…and you reacted exactly as I knew you would. I had planned to start looking for the princess as soon as we got away from Gold Pistol, but then Juvia appeared, and you started yelling at the Boss of the Italian Mafia." Lucy's eyes widened. Hearing Natsu recap what she did sounded unbelievable to her and made her inwardly groan. When it came to her friends, she lost her temper quickly.

"Gold Pistol doesn't take too kindly to being ordered around. Then the situation escalated in a way I wasn't expecting.…" Natsu trailed off, and Lucy shuddered. Gold Pistol had called her near-death experience a "small matter" after all. "Besides, it's the truth. I would never consider him a treasure worth hunting. I don't think he's worth my time. There are a lot of things I would rather be doing and none of them involve running around Italy trying to rescue a lost princess."

"Well if that's how you feel, why are you trying to find him? If you're not going to hand him over to Gold Pistol then why are you doing this?" Trying to make sense of Natsu's words and his actions was making Lucy even more puzzled. He made it very clear that he didn't like Gray and didn't want to go and save him. So why was he about to do just that?

"Because a certain CEO I know would go tripping around in the Mafia's Underworld in an attempt to play hero, only to get herself killed." He folded the picture of Gray he grabbed earlier and inserted it into an inside pocket of his jacket.

"That's not true!" She protested. "I can take care of myself just fine. I know self-defense." Yet, her words didn't convince Natsu as he raised his eyebrows at her in disbelief.

"Right," he smirked and rolled his eyes. Lucy could feel her irritation growing. Natsu seemed to know how to press on her nerves.

"So you're going to play hero then?" Looking at him now, in his usual black clothes and black leather jacket, Natsu looked like anything but a hero. Although, she had to admit, it wasn't a bad look either.

The humor in Natsu's eyes blinked out. His hand moved to lightly touch the shoulder his tattoo was located on.

"That's something I should never be called," he said quietly. His voice was so low, Lucy couldn't hear what he said. However, the look in his eyes made it seem as if he was reliving a moment in his past – and not a particularly fond moment either, she noted. His fingers flinched away as he gave a dry laugh in response. He blinked and shook his head as if to toss the memory far away.

They had moved from the kitchen back to the entryway. Natsu fished out his phone from his pocket and typed a quick message to someone before placing it back in his jacket.

"Alright, I need to go." He motioned to a set of stairs on their right that led to the upper stories of the house. "Cana's not here, so you can pick whatever bedroom you want. Try and get some sleep. The jet lag is going to be tough, but trying to adjust to the time difference as soon as possible helps. There are some sleeping pills that will help in all the bathrooms. Don't drink anymore wine if you do want to take them. This place doesn't beat your apartment, but treat it like it's yours. Help yourself to whatever you want."

"Thanks, but I told you I was coming with you," she reminded him.

"You're stubborn," he said and rushed towards her.

The wall pressed up against her back and Natsu grabbed her wrists, holding them above her head. Lucy gasped at the sudden motion, her eyes widening at his actions. She tried shaking out of his grasp, but his hold on her was firm.

"N-Natsu? What are you doing?" She struggled further, but she was trapped. "Let me go. This isn't funny."

"Make me." He leaned in closer to her, smirking as he continued to hold her captive. Something dark burned in his eyes that made Lucy shiver as she struggled harder to get free.

"Natsu."

He ignored her as he leaned in closer. Natsu lips brushed against her ear as he whispered to her.

"You fail." He held onto her wrists a moment longer before he let her go. He backed away from her to lean against the front door.

"What the hell was that!" she yelled, backing away from him.

"A test," he replied casually.

"A test? How the hell was that a test?" she shot back.

"I thought you said you knew self-defense?" he questioned.

"I-I was caught off guard," Lucy snapped. She wasn't expecting that look in his eyes. She could still feel where he had held her. He didn't hurt her, but it was like he was a different person. 'I'm more terrifying than either of them.' His words replayed in her mind, and in that moment, she wondered about the truth of them.

"And that's why you're not coming with me." He gestured at her. "You never let your guard down. There are people trained to take advantage of that and take you out. This isn't a normal treasure hunt. There's too much politics involved this time. I can't worry about protecting you while collecting the information we need to save the princess. I don't know all the players in this game at the moment, so it's too dangerous right now."

"Well if you try shit like that again, I'll really punch you," she warned.

"Will you? I wasn't even being serious right there, and you could do nothing," he argued. "In the Underworld, there are no heroes out there to save you if you get caught off guard. There are only mad wolves who want to sink their teeth in you and devour you before you can even scream."

"So what about you?" she demanded. "Why aren't you scared of these mad wolves of the Underworld? Is it because you're the fearsome Salamander?" she mocked, glaring at him.

Gold Pistol, Juvia, and even Gold Pistol's goons had all referred to Natsu by that name. He still hadn't explained how he got that nickname and what it truly meant. It was becoming even more apparent than before how little she knew about him.

"Yes," he answered curtly.

"Well what does that even mean? Is that how you know Gold Pistol? And why do you know so much about the mafia? You haven't answered all of my questions and I-"

"Lucy." His voice was hard as he silenced her. He had moved from the door to stand closer to her. She could see the grave look in his eyes, but after a moment, they softened. "Please," he pleaded, "I need you to stay here – where I know it's safe. I didn't think this would happen when I asked you to go treasure hunting with me. But since this is the situation, you're going to have to trust me and do things my way. I'll find the princess and get you both back to New York safely. I promise."

He had to say those words. Lucy was about to protest and demand he let her go with him and give the answers to all the questions that keep piling up, but those two words made her pause. Although she knew so little about him, she realized early on that whenever he said those words, he would do whatever it took to make whatever he promised, somehow, true.

"Damn!" He shook his head. "I didn't think it was possible, but that princess just keeps pissing me off more and more. I knew the first time I saw him he was going to be irritating, droopy eyes and all, but this-" He punched the palm of his hand. "This exceeds even my expectations. The fact that he had to go off and get himself into trouble and make you worry about him pisses me off so much!"

The serious atmosphere disappeared as Natsu jested. Lucy shook her head. She was still unhappy with Natsu and had a ton of questions left unanswered that she wasn't going to let go; she was extremely worried about Gray and prayed he was okay, but she was going to try and believe in Natsu's promise.

"Two hours," she announced. "I'll give you two hours to come back, or I'll go to the embassy and report this. I don't care if you say it's pointless, but I won't just sit around here and do nothing to save Gray."

"Two hours. More than enough time to get the information I need," Natsu said, accepting her demands. "Now if you're giving demands, then here is mine: Don't leave this place for whatever reason until I get back."

"Fine," she huffed.

"Not good enough." He stepped towards her. "Promise me."

"I promise," Lucy conceded. She didn't want to be alone right now, but the situation couldn't be helped. Natsu relaxed his shoulders a bit after hearing her promise and nodded.

"Great, because if anything happened to you, I would lose my comfy bed in New York and that would be a tragedy," he chuckled.

Lucy rolled her eyes and huffed loudly. "Just leave already!"

He gave her one more smirk before heading towards the door.

"Natsu," she called after him suddenly. He paused and looked at her over his shoulder. "Promise not to do anything dangerous, okay?" she added.

"Get some rest, Lucy" was his reply as he opened the door and left to begin the hunt.

Left alone in a strange house with so many unanswered questions, sleep was the last thing on Lucy's mind. She went back to the kitchen and reached for the grapes that were left on the counter. She popped a purple one into her mouth, chewing on the sweet fruit while reading through the file on Gray.

 _Gold Pistol really was the person who hired Gray._ She thought, remembering back to the last phone call she had with her best friend, before any of this craziness happened. Flipping through the pictures of Gray with Juvia, she toyed with the idea that Gray truly loved her.

In the 5 years that they had been friends, Gray hadn't shown any interest in any one girl. He had had casual affairs with girls, but it was never anything serious. He had often mentioned how his art was his true love and that loving anyone else would make him unfaithful. Lucy had suspected there was more to it than that, especially after one night Gray had gotten really drunk. She found him in his apartment muttering a name over and over again after receiving a weird call from him. The next morning she had asked him about it, and he had gotten really quiet. Lucy didn't think he would ever answer her and was about to change the subject when he told her that the name he muttered was the name of his sin. After that, he never said that name again and she had never felt brave enough to push the subject. After all, she had her own reasons why she avoided love as well. She understood how some things are better kept secret.

Natsu may have been right about Juvia loving Gray. As much as Lucy didn't want to admit it, Juvia had that look in her eye she knew very well. It was the look of someone who had her heart in her eyes. She was definitely in love. But she knew Gray. Looking at him in the pictures, she could clearly see there was no love in his eyes. His supposed wedding had to be something he was being forced into by the mafia. Lucy wasn't about to let Gray get married to someone he didn't love. Reaching towards the bowl, she popped another grape into her mouth. She wrinkled her nose as she chewed on a sour grape. Grabbing the bowl, she placed it back in the fridge.

She stuffed all the pictures and papers back into the file and closed it. Thinking about all of this was making her remember things she didn't want to. She returned her mind to positive thoughts. Natsu would return with a lead on Gray, they would find him, and they would all return to New York safely. They'd get away from the mafia – and their death threats and marriage schemes.

It had only been 30 minutes since Natsu left, but Lucy was impatient for him to return. She didn't like being incapable of helping in this situation. Luckily, her anxiety about being alone was being kept at bay by Natsu's promise to return. She just had to keep herself distracted until then. All the worrying she was doing wasn't helping the situation. She needed to believe everything was going to be alright, even though everything was far from it.

 **Author's Note:  
** Thank you for being patient with me! It was so hard finding time to write with some things going on. Please, let me know what you think of APYJCK. I always love reading everyone's reviews: the praise and the criticism. :)

This chapter was betaread by **rasclieboobear**. If you want your story in excellent hands, send it over to this user! Your story will be returned promptly, with clear edits, and great feedback! Thanks again!


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:**

Thank you everyone for all the great reviews thus far! Please continue to let me know what you think of APYJCK, so I can continue to improve. :)

This chapter was betaread by **rasclieboobear**. If you want your story in excellent hands, send it over to this user! Your story will be returned promptly, with clear edits, and great feedback! Thanks again!

* * *

It was well into the night when Natsu pulled up to his destination. He parked the car in a tiny space across the street from a building with a giant illuminated sign above the entrance that read: Pegasus. It was this sign and the line of colorfully dressed people waiting to get inside that indicated to Natsu he was in the right place. Crossing the cobblestone street, he bypassed the line and made his way to the front entrance. The bouncer took one glance at Natsu before he admitted the treasure hunter in. A chorus of complaints rang out behind him, but they were drowned out by the loud wave of music that erupted around him when he entered the building.

A mob of people clad in bright, glittering, and revealing outfits danced to the loud music on a lit up dance floor. The room flashed with colors from the pulsing lights that beamed down from the high ceilings. A DJ on a raised platform ushered the mob on as he blared techno music from the speakers. Along the left side of the room, a wet bar was set up. Muscular bartenders wearing white dress pants, white suspenders, and white bowties were intoxicating the guests in more ways than one, as they served the alcoholic drinks shirtless. On the opposite side of the room, lounge areas were purposely situated into the shadows. Club goers took refuge in these dim-lit areas to pursue other forms of entertainment. Natsu's eyes turned skyward as he noted the clear glass railing around the second floor. A velvet rope cut off the entrance to the stairs where more bouncers were stationed, permitting only a select few to enter. As one of the hottest places to dance and drink the night away, Pegasus's guest list was as varied as the colors of the clothes on the people who passed their evenings there. The frequent club visitors included celebrities, politicians, and even wolves of the mafia.

Natsu tensed as he felt a presence slink next to him, but relaxed once he realized the person didn't pose a threat. On his right, a woman in a tight orange dress with a plunging neckline had appeared. She smiled seductively at him, batting her false eye lashes.

"Dance with me," she demanded, tugging on his arm towards the dance floor. Natsu arched an eyebrow at her in response, but didn't budge. The woman was undeterred. She slinked closer to him again, wrapping herself around his arm as she pressed up against him. "Or we could skip all of this and take advantage of one these dark corners," she purred into his ear. Before he could refuse, another figure appeared on his left. Natsu's nose wrinkled and his shoulders grew tense with irritation at the figure's arrival.

"You don't want to waste your time on him, kitten. He's here to see me." A short, stocky man dressed in a tailored white suit with an impressively large nose and rectangular face spoke, flipping his long, auburn hair over his shoulder. The woman looked up at Natsu then back down at the man in utter shock.

"No fair," she pouted, as she slowly released Natsu's arm. "All the cute ones play for the other team."

"Don't worry my pretty little kitten." The man twirled to her side and took her hand, placing a slobbery kiss on it. "I play for all teams." He sniffed up her arm, his eyes rolling in the back of his head in ecstasy. The woman squealed in disgust as she snatched her arm away from him, running in the opposite direction.

"I'll follow that lovely scent of yours to the end of the world," he called after her.

"Ichiya." Natsu glared down at the man, irritation sketched across his face.

"After all this time you're going to greet me with a glare? Oh meeeeen!" Ichiya threw up his hands and twirled on one foot, before halting in a dramatic pose. "You haven't changed, Salamander."

Natsu muttered some obscene things under his breath in response as he moved passed Ichiya towards one of the lounge areas. He slid into a half-moon-shaped booth, and Ichiya soon joined him. The booth was located furthest from the dance floor and the DJ's speakers, allowing the pair to actually hear one another without shouting. Reaching up above his head, Ichiya pulled on a thick, braided cord. A black curtain tumbled down, providing them with another layer of privacy.

"My nose hairs were practically tingling with delight when you said you needed me." Ichiya propped his elbows on the circular table, resting his chin in his hands.

"I believe I said I needed information," Natsu clarified, annoyance coloring his tone.

"A potato smells like a potato no matter how it's cooked," Ichiya sang, as he inspected his well-manicured hand. Natsu pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. Out of all of his informants, Ichiya was one of the most difficult to handle. Dealing with his vibrant… personality was a strain on Natsu's nerves. If he wasn't so good at gathering information, Natsu would have cut ties with him long ago. However, despite his looks and his mannerisms, Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki was someone to be wary of. He could sniff out information on people like it was a fine fragrance, earning him the alias: Parfum Man.

Regaining control of his growing irritation, Natsu breathed out slowly and opened his eyes. "I trust you already know why I'm here then," he said, keeping his voice steady.

Ichiya breathed in dramatically and shivered. "You wouldn't be inquiring about that cold breeze that drifted into Venice a week ago, now would you?"

"If that's the case," Natsu started; "that would confirm my suspicions. I thought Rome was unusually chilly this time of year." He reached into his leather jacket and pulled out the picture he had grabbed of Gray before he left. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the folded picture to Ichiya. It landed in front of the man, who picked it up and immediately smelled it.

"A request from Gold Pistol, I smell," Ichiya said as he unfolded the paper.

Natsu ran his hand over his spiky hair. "Not anymore. It's personal now."

Ichiya's eyes flickered to Natsu. An unamusing glint had appeared in them that made Natsu's irritation flare up.

"Not that type of personal matter," he growled. He thrust his finger towards Gray's picture. "That's the idiotic princess I'm trying to find for a… friend. He's gone and got himself caught up in the Mafia's Underworld. I'm getting his sorry ass out of there before her stubborn self decides to get killed trying to rescue the bastard."

"Meeeeeeeeeennnnn," Ichiya sniffed. "This scent – it's so rare coming from you. It seems like our mystery 'friend' might be the cause of it. Now that would be a lovely fragrance to sniff out."

"Knock it off," Natsu glared. "Don't forget I warned you what would happen if I caught you sniffing out information about me."

Ichiya gulped and pinched his nose shut. "No need for one of your infamous glares Salamander. My nose and I wouldn't dare uncover your foul secrets."

Annoyed, yet satisfied, Natsu directed the conversation back to the main reason he had contacted Ichiya. "Gold Pistol's goons are clumsy. I read the background investigation they did on the princess and I know for a fact that there are things on there that are incorrect. I need you to sniff into his past for me. I have a feeling there's something there that might explain a few things about this cold weather we're having."

"Meeeeennn! You always give my nose hairs such a thrill with your requests." He fanned his face with Gray's picture, momentarily pausing to take quick sniffs of it. "My nose and I will look into this. In the meantime, I have a request for you."

"Request?" Natsu scoffed. "Were you sniffing up something that made you forget that you work for me?"

Ichiya fanned his hand in front of his face. "Oh, Salamander, your face is pretty, but I would never hire you to work for me. That glare of yours would frighten all my beautiful customers away." Ichiya pulled on the cord above him again. The curtain furled itself up, revealing the sight of the nightclub once more.

"Really, it's a simple request – one that you might find… informative." Ichiya jumped onto the table and started to perform some elaborate dance moves as he spoke, moving to the throbbing music. "The cold breeze in Venice has brought a mutt in here, and it's making the second floor VIP room smell like wet dog. I don't have the heart to tell it to leave, but I'm sure you'll be able to." Natsu arched his eyebrow at the man before switching his gaze to the second floor. "I'm sure if you offer that poor creature something it can't refuse, it will show you a trick or two. Meeeeeennnn!"

Nodding in understanding, Natsu smirked as he slid out of the booth and made his way to the foot of the staircase leading to the second level. The bouncer looked over Natsu's shoulder as he approached. Natsu knew Ichiya was giving a silent command to the bouncer to admit him. After all, Ichiya was the owner of Pegasus. It was one of the reasons he was so good at gathering information. He created environments that were inviting and disarming, making people drop their guards and let loose information they wouldn't otherwise. Pegasus performed as a giant information gathering machine, and the clubbers didn't even know it.

The second level VIP room had a different atmosphere than the first floor. The lower level that entertained the masses focused on anonymity. It was about letting loose and forgetting oneself. It made the club goers feel as if they could be anybody and nobody. However, the upper level focused on power and prestige. Ichiya had set it up the VIP room to make the guests revel in their authority, giving them the illusion that they were in ultimate control.

More of Ichiya's shirtless, white clad workers delivered expensive drinks to the patrons alongside beautiful women in white dresses. Cozied up to the wealthy and powerful men and women in the lounge areas, were more of Ichiya's alluring white wearing workers. At first glance, one would think that they were harmlessly catering to the needs of their guests. However, Natsu knew better. The drink servers continued the flow of drinks, loosening the lips of the guests, while those entertaining in the lounge areas, giggled and flattered, snuggling closer to collect every piece of information that dropped from the VIPs tongues. They were doing more than entertaining; they were actively spying, sniffing out bits of information that Ichiya would bottle and sell to the right customers.

One of Ichiya's girls squealed with laughter, catching Natsu's attention. She tossed her long blonde hair over her shoulder to disguise the silent message she sent towards him. In that motion, she had pointed to the area at the end of the room. Natsu followed her direction, stopping at the last lounge area. A shirtless man wearing multiple gold chains leaned into the soft leather cushions as two of Ichiya's girls snuggled up against him. Multiple tattoos covered the man's lean body, but one in particular caught Natsu's eye. In bold, block letters a tattoo that read 'BAD DOG TOBY' was inked into his skin across his right pectoral. The man noticed Natsu and waved him away.

"Bring me another round for me and my ladies," he ordered. "And make it quick. You don't want to keep me waiting."

Natsu smirked as he ignored the man, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets and taking a seat across from him. The two girls took one look at Natsu, before transferring a silent message between themselves. They untangled themselves from the man's groping grasp and walked away.

"Ooonnn," the man called after them, stumbling to stand. "Come back! We're not through." When the girls didn't return, the man turned his glare to Natsu. "You scared my girls away, brat."

"They looked happy to leave, if you ask me."

The man grabbed the collar of Natsu's jacket, pulling hard on the leather. "What did you say, punk? Keep talking shit, and I'll cut you to ribbons."

"Is that a threat?" Natsu asked cooly.

"It's a promise," the man growled.

"You really shouldn't make promises you can't keep. " Natsu shook his head as he gripped the man's wrist. "That's one of my pet peeves." He squeezed on the man's wrist, until the man released his hold on Natsu's collar, grunting with pain. The man snatched his wrist from Natsu's grasp, glaring at him as he tried to hide the fact he was in any discomfort.

"Ooonn! You don't know who you're messing with, kid." The man sized up Natsu.

"Actually, I do. But the same can't be said for you, Toby."

The man's—Toby's—eyes widen in surprise. His brow knitted together as he regained his composure. Natsu noted how Toby's feet shifted slightly back and how his body went tense all over. Toby maintained his glare as he reached for the bottle on the table. He poured himself the last bit of booze and shot it back in one motion. A little of the tension in Toby's shoulders released, the alcohol loosening him up.

"What do you want?" Toby growled. "I'm not interested in playing with little boys."

Natsu let the jab slide. "I need information regarding your master," he said simply. "And you're going to be a good little dog and tell me what I need to know."

"Oh, really?" Toby laughed dryly as he set his glass down. In a quick motion, he reached into his pant pocket and pulled out a switchblade. He unleashed the blade and pressed it against Natsu's neck.

"You've seriously pissed me off. Tell me who the hell you are before I slit your throat."

 _Wet dog indeed_. Natsu thought, smirking to himself. _All bark and no bite_.

"Toby. Toby," Natsu chided. "What a shame, I even warned you not to make promises you can't keep." He smacked Toby's hand away and grabbed his wrist, twisting on it hard. Toby cried out in pain, releasing the blade. Before the blade could hit the ground, Natsu snatched it from the air and pressed it against Toby's neck. "It seriously pisses me off."

Beads of sweat formed on Toby's brow, dripping down the sides of his face. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down, as he swallowed hard. Natsu's glare terrified him. He wanted to look away, but he couldn't. The knife that kissed his neck stilled him from trying to escape. He had seen how fast Natsu could move, and he knew he didn't have a chance.

"Now, let's try this again," Natsu offered. "I need some information, and you're going to tell me what I want to know. If you don't, then there will be consequences. Understand?" Toby nodded in response, his eyes bulging in fear. Regardless, the blade pressed harder against his neck, almost breaking the skin. "Surely your master taught you how to speak."

"I-I understand," Toby muttered.

"Good boy." Natsu released Toby and flipped the blade closed. "Now you and I are going to go on a short walk."

None of the other VIPs had witnessed the actions that had occurred between Natsu and Toby. Ichiya's spies were not only adept at collecting information; they were skillful at making sure information didn't get out. There was a staircase that led to the back of the club. It was used for guests who didn't want it known how frequently they visited Pegasus or who they left with. Natsu ushered Toby down these steps and out the back door. The alley behind Pegasus was deserted, except for a few stray cats that rummaged through the dumpsters. There was a dim light hanging over the back door that pooled a few feet into the surrounding darkness, acting as the only source of illumination in the dark area.

"Are-are you going to k-k-kill m-me?" Toby stuttered after he realized they were alone. His tough guy act had melted away the moment Natsu had threatened him with his own blade.

"Kill you?" Natsu laughed. "I promise I won't kill you. I take no pleasure in putting down dogs. You'll be fine as long as you answer my questions."

Even with Natsu's promise, Toby didn't relax. His eyes kept darting from Natsu to either side of the alley. He was searching for an escape or someone to rescue him from the situation. This only further validated what Natsu had told Lucy earlier: there are no heroes in the Underworld, only hungry wolves, and this mutt was certainly no wolf.

"Alright, Toby," Natsu clapped his hands together. "Why don't you tell me what your master is up to? Let's start there."

"I-I-I don't know what you're talking about," Toby lied, visibly shaking. "You have the wrong guy… Yeah, that's right, so you can just let me-"

"Toby." Natsu glared at him. "I'm going to be nice, but I'm not known for my kindness. Lie to me a second time, and I promise it will be painful."

Toby gulped, shaking harder. "W-w-w-w-well, maybe… yeah… wait! I remember something, now that you mention it. The Boss suddenly wanted to come to Italy for a… a… a… a personal matter!"

"A personal matter?" Natsu leaned against the back door, stuffing one hand in his jacket pocket and twirling the switchblade in the other.

"Just over a week ago, the Boss gathered a group of us, saying we're going to Italy to take care of something personal. We weren't told what it was, but we were all given different jobs, and that was that. I sw-swear I don't know any more than what I told you."

"All right, Toby," Natsu pushed off from the door, tucking the blade into his jacket pocket as he walked over to Toby. He placed his hand on the other's shoulder and smiled. "A promise is a promise."

With that, Natsu punched Toby in the stomach. The man gasped, leaning over to clutch his midsection. Before he could recover, Natsu kneed him in the forehead, sending him skidding across the cobblestones. The rough stones cut against the exposed skin of his back. Toby cried out; his body twitching in pain.

"I promised it would be painful if you lied to me again," he said as he stood over him. "And I always keep my promises."

Toby curled up, whimpering in pain. "Okay! Okay! Okay! I'll tell you everything you want to know. Just-Just please," Toby begged. "Don't hurt me." Natsu remained silent as Toby continued to speak. "I don't know about the others, but-but my job was to distract Gold Pistol's men. Make it look like we aren't even here, ya know? The Italian Mafia may look powerful, but they're all brawn and no brain." He coughed as he shifted to kneel on his knees. One arm was wrapped around his stomach, and his free hand pressed against his forehead. "Damn, my head," Toby moaned.

"What else?" Natsu looked at his watch. This was taking longer than he expected. He needed to get back before Lucy's time limit wore off, and she contacted the embassy. It was true that it wouldn't do her any good, but it would cause more of a headache than it was worth. Knowing her luck, she would find the one embassy worker that wasn't in Gold Pistol's pocket, and a whole lot of aggravation would follow. It would give Gold Pistol another reason to target Lucy, and Natsu wasn't about to let that happen.

"Ooonn. I don't know what else to say? I-I don't know anything else!" Natsu shifted slightly, sending Toby into a new bout of trembles. "Wa-wait! Wait! I-I… yes! I remember. I accidentally overheard the B-Boss congratulating the others for picking up a guy last week. But he told them he needed them to pick up one other person in order to move onto the next part of his plan."

"Your Boss is looking for someone else?" Natsu controlled his features in order to hide his shock. _Two? So the princess wasn't the only target. But who could be the second?_

Toby shook his head furiously, but stopped when the motion caused him too much pain. "I'm not that high up. I just do what I'm told. That's it! I promise I don't know anything else. I'm just-"

"A good dog. I believe you." Natsu knelt down beside him, but the man cowered next to him. Natsu smirked as he patted Toby on the head. "Now when I leave, I don't want you telling anyone about our little meeting. If you do, then I'm going to have to do something I really detest. Promise?"

Toby nodded his head enthusiastically in response.

"Speak, Toby."

"Y-yes. I promise."

Straightening, Natsu reached into his jacket and pulled out a phone, tossing it to Toby. He caught it clumsily, staring at the device in his hands in confusion.

"It's a burner," Natsu explained. "That phone is programmed only to receive and call one number: mine. I need you to find out who this second person is and contact me immediately."

"H-hey, I can't snitch on my Boss!" Toby began to protest, but one look from Natsu stopped him from speaking further.

"You can and will," Natsu commanded. "You serve a new master now."

Driving back from Pegasus, Natsu puzzled over the information he had acquired. Ichiya had pretty much confirmed his suspicions on who had Gray. Coupled with Toby's intel, Natsu was more than confident that a trip to Venice would quickly end the hunt. However, it was Toby's revelation that the rival Boss who took Gray was also looking for a second person that made Natsu pause.

It couldn't be Juvia; otherwise, she would have been kidnapped the same day as Gray. Gold Pistol would have torn Italy apart if she was kidnapped. Even if the rival Boss was smarter than Gold Pistol, it would be hell trying to escape his offensive force when it came to her. Juvia was the very source of his power. If he lost her, then he would lose everything. If for some reason Natsu thought she might be targeted, Gold Pistol wouldn't believe him anyway. That man was made of pride. He truly believed no one would ever step to oppose him. Natsu knew that Gold Pistol didn't see Gray's kidnapping as a slight to his power either. If anything, he might even be grateful that Gray was out of the picture. As Juvia's husband, he would hold significant power in the mafia. If he played his cards right, Gray could even become Boss.

 _Could Gold Pistol have staged the princess's kidnapping for that purpose? Is he working with the rival Boss to get him out of the picture?_

Remembering the droopy-eyed princess, Natsu smirked and shook the thought out of his head. Toby had mentioned that the rival Boss said this was a personal matter. Besides, Gray wasn't ambitious enough to become the Boss of the Italian Mafia.

 _He's a princess, not a wolf_ , Natsu thought. _A princess with secrets, though_.

When Natsu had first met Gray at the wedding, he immediately disliked him. The way he looked at Lucy greatly irritated him. He looked at her like she was about to disappear any second, and he wanted her all to himself. Just like a greedy princess. The look on Gray's face when he had stolen Lucy for a dance was priceless. He chuckled to himself remembering it. However, Natsu would never admit that his jealously towards the relationship Gray had with Lucy greatly influenced his dislike for the guy as well.

Now that the playboy princess was getting Lucy involved with the mafia, he gave Natsu reason to justify his irritation. There was no one in the Italian Mafia that held as much influence as Juvia did, so Natsu couldn't believe the rival Boss would target anyone else in the mafia. The background investigation Gold Pistol did was something Natsu couldn't rely on to help much either. When he read it, he almost laughed out loud. The little rumor he had started at Gajeel's wedding about Gray made it into the file as fact. Everything that was happening was connected to Gray in some way. Natsu just had to wait until Ichiya's investigation report to find out what that connection was. He had a gut feeling the second person the rival Boss was looking for had to be connected to Gray's past.

 _Who could it be?_ Natsu thought as he pulled up to his sister's blue house. He parked the car and fished out his keys. He was about to turn the key into the lock when he noticed the state of his hands. They were covered in blood from Toby's… discipline.

"Shit," Natsu swore under his breath. Besides his concern for Lucy's safety, he didn't want her to come with him to see him like this. Normally, his treasure hunts didn't involve this degree of violence, but dealing with the mafia meant certain measures had to be taken. Trudging back to the car, he searched for a rag to wipe off his hands. Surprisingly, there wasn't one. Natsu shrugged off his jacket and stripped off his shirt, using it rub the blood off his hands. Satisfied, he tossed the now blood stained shirt into a bin on the street. Grabbing his leather jacket, Natsu went up the stairs and unlocked the door. He had 16 minutes left of the two hour time limit Lucy had given him, returning just in time.

The house was quiet when he entered. He thought about announcing he was back, but thought better of it. Lucy, if she did listen to him, would probably be sleeping, and he didn't want to wake her up. Still, even as Natsu thought this, he got the feeling that this wouldn't be the case. She was so worried about her friend that she would most likely be waiting to hear what he had found out. All the concern that she was showing for the princess was making it difficult for Natsu to keep his irritation in check. He felt that Gray didn't deserve it. Natsu had seen Lucy worry about so much that he had wanted this hunt to be a means for her to focus on something else. It was supposed to be a vacation of sorts, but it turned into this mess. Natsu felt partly to blame for everything, too. If he was being honest with himself, he was most irritated that he had tried to do something nice for her, but it backfired. The only thing he could do now was rescue her friend and get them both out of this mess. The quicker they left Italy, the better, and for more reasons than one. Things were getting too close to a past Natsu had left behind – a past he didn't want anybody finding out… especially, Lucy.

A light was streaming out of the living room, and he headed towards there. Lucy was curled up on the couch with a book in her lap, asleep. Natsu laughed softly at the sight. It reminded him of the first night they had spent together at Levy's apartment. He tossed his leather jacket onto the couch and grabbed the book, flipping it closed and setting it on the coffee table. He picked her up and carried her out of the room and up the first flight of stairs. She unconsciously snuggled closer to him, making Natsu smirk and hold her tighter.

As he carried her, he continued to reminisce over the first time they met. The first thing he noticed was her smile. She had seemed so happy being surrounded by all the books in the bookstore that it lit up her eyes. Of course, he had to open his mouth and ruin his first impression. But then, instead of running away or crying like others did when he got demanding, she yelled right back. The light in her eyes flared up into a spark of anger. He was shocked that a stranger would stand up to him. He was intimidating for a reason. In his profession, he had to be. After she had left, Natsu had tried to get her name from the bookstore owner, but the crazy man could only remember her last name. Even then, he had told Natsu it was 'Heartfield'. Still, as he left the bookstore, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had seen her before.

After Gajeel and Levy's wedding, he had planned to search for her. For some reason, he wanted to fight with her some more. Teasing her was addicting. On the day of Gajeel's wedding, he couldn't believe it when he saw her there. He had been waiting outside to meet the delivery guy who was bringing the Iron Maidens to him. She didn't see him – she was too focused on whatever task she was doing – but Natsu watched as Lucy jumped out of a cab and ran up the stairs to the church. It took him a second for his brain to register what he had seen before his feet were running after her. When he entered the church, she was already gone. He had thought that the long nights and the little sleep he had gotten were making his brain play tricks on him. Except, when she started walking down the aisle, he couldn't help the smirk that formed on his face. He hadn't been hallucinating. There she was. In that moment, he had realized why she had seemed so familiar to him. Everything made sense. He had seen her picture countless times whenever he had stayed at Levy and Gajeel's apartment. Lucy Heartfilia, Levy's best friend. He had felt like an idiot for not making the connection sooner. It would have saved him several nights of sleep.

He couldn't say why, but Lucy made him curious. He wanted to know all the ways to tick her off; he wanted to know what she liked and didn't like. He was curious about the things that made her smile and even more curious about the things that made her cry. There was a sadness in her eyes that seemed to cause her pain. When he had found her crying in her room, he knew that something had happened to cause her so much sadness. He wanted to figure out what it was, but he didn't want to use Ichiya or any of his other informants to find out. Natsu wanted to discover everything he could about Lucy on his own. He wanted to be close enough for her to reveal these things to him herself. As it stood now, they were only just friends. He wasn't as close to her as Levy or Gray, and that bothered him. He wanted Lucy to be able to lean on him.

Lucy snuggled closer and muttered something in her sleep. Natsu snapped out of his thoughts and smiled down at her sleeping face. He entered the first bedroom and tucked her into the bed. He was hoping she would make him promise to stay with her again, but it wasn't his name that she whispered.

"Gray," she mumbled as she turned away from Natsu and snuggled against a pillow.

Jealously shot through him fast, but he smothered it down. The princess had spent years with Lucy, and Natsu had only spent a few weeks with her. 'Gray is very special to me.' Her words echoed in his mind. There were a lot things Natsu wanted in life; he had an addiction to rare things. He had told Lucy he kept all the best treasure for himself. Unfortunately, it seemed this time, someone had already beat him to it.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Thank you for your patience! Normally, I like to post two chapters a month; however, life has an agenda of its own. I can't believe I've written 10 chapters of this story already and almost 60k words! Woah! I was also not expecting the amount of attention people are showing my little AU. It makes me so happy to read all the lovely reviews (yes, even the criticism because that pushes me to do better.) Here's a big thank you to all the readers who support this story and keep me motivated and inspired to carry on. I have so many plans for APYJCK. If you stick around, I promise you won't be disappointed. ;)

This chapter was betaread by **rasclieboobear**. If you want your story in excellent hands, send it over to this user! Your story will be returned promptly, with clear edits, and great feedback! Thanks again! :)

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She doubted anyone knew she was there; maneuvering around the building's security hadn't been too difficult. Still, she wasn't arrogant enough to believe they didn't suspect someone might be coming. The air was dry and thick in the dark space where Lucy waited. Dressed all in black, Lucy blended into the darkness. It was quiet—too quiet for Lucy to be at ease as she shifted her weight on her stiffening feet, but the quiet wasn't the only reason for her uneasiness. The other reason also explained why she was crouching in a suffocating air duct in the middle of the night. The same reason that caused the uneasiness she felt in her heart.

Enough time had passed to observe the room below, and the time for action had come. In quick movements, she checked the ammunition in both of her black pistols before removing the safety on each. She hadn't come all this way to play things safe. Taking a deep breath, she dropped from the air duct into the room below. She landed with both pistols held out to either side, quickly taking note of any possible details she couldn't have seen from above. Just as she had observed, the room was empty except for a single figure tied to a chair situated in front of a large window.

Her eyes swept the room several times, but no threats revealed themselves…yet. Putting the safety back on one her pistols, she sheathed it into its holster as she made her way towards the window. The figure looked up, and his black eyes widened in shock as he stared up at her.

"Lucy!"

"I've come to rescue you, Gray." Smiling down at her best friend, her heart released a little of the tension within it. He was here, and he was alive. However, he still wasn't safe. Not until she got him away from this place and out of the grasp of the one who had taken him in the first place. Until Gray was truly free.

During the middle of the night, Lucy had awoken to find Natsu tucking her into a bed. Seeing that he had returned, Lucy hounded him for the answers he was meant to retrieve from his informants. The information he had gathered pointed to this abandoned building - abandoned, except for the members of the rival Boss's forces that guarded the area. Natsu had taken it upon himself to distract the majority of the Boss's men. It was up to Lucy to find Gray and make it out undetected. A job for which Natsu had trained her day and night for the past four days to prepare her, albeit reluctantly. Even though her heart beat furiously in her chest, ready or not, she would face the wolves of the mafia.

The ropes that tied him to the chair were fastened tight around his wrists and ankles. Lucy cut the ropes that bound his wrists, first, with a knife she had hidden in her boot. Gray rubbed the sore skin around his wrists before taking the gun she offered him. Crouching down, she sawed away at the bindings around his ankles. After a minute of cutting, Gray was free.

"What are you- No- Why are you…" Gray stood, his eyebrows knitted together as he tried to sort out what question to ask her first. He shook his head, clearing all of them aside. "You shouldn't be here," he said finally.

"But I am." She switched the knife to her left hand and retrieved her other pistol once more. "And now we need to leave."

"This is dangerous. You should have just left me here. You could have gotten yourself killed coming here," Gray argued. His concern for her over his own safety had always bothered her. He was her best friend. She knew he would have done the exact same thing if their situations were reversed. He would risk his life to save her, so why, then, could she not risk her life to save him?

"And you would have been killed if I didn't come," Lucy argued back.

That possibility had been running through her head the moment she found out Gray had been taken. The thought of never seeing her best friend again had driven her to do things she never would have thought possible. She could never forgive herself if she just left him. He had done so much for her already that risking her life was the least she could do. Gray opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off by hugging him. She was just happy that he was alive. That she made it in time. Everything was going to be alright. Lucy had her best friend back, and she didn't care what dangers she had to go through to make that happen. It was something she would do all over again if it meant she could save him.

"Gray, let's not argue about this." She pulled away from him, smiling. "We need to leave before-"

The door to the room burst opened. Gray and Lucy whirled towards it, guns drawn and pointed at the opening.

"What's this? The princess has a gun." Natsu stepped into the doorway. His trademark smirk scrawled on his face. The gun he held was pointed directly at Gray's chest. "Does he even know how to use it?" he asked, directing his question to Lucy as he stepped further into the room.

"Want to find out?" Gray glared, not lowering his gun.

"Careful now. That's not a toy. You might shoot yourself," Natsu mocked.

The two of them glared at one another, the tension between them filling the room. Lucy scowled. This wasn't the time for them to be at each other's throats. Especially when both of them had guns.

"Knock it off, you two." Lowering her gun, Lucy stepped between them. Gray immediately lowered his gun, but Natsu held his up a beat longer. "We need to focus on getting out of here without the enemy knowing we're here."

"I don't really know the layout of the building," Gray admitted. "I was always blindfolded if I changed rooms."

"Don't worry, Gray," she smiled. "We already came up with a plan to get out of here safely."

"There's no need to worry about that now," Natsu declared. His manner was relaxed as if being in the middle of an enemy's territory was an everyday occurrence.

"He can't be serious." Gray looked at Lucy incredulously.

"I am serious." He glared at Gray. "While you were busy being the captive princess, I took care of your weak captors. Not everyone is as useless as you."

Gray bristled at Natsu's comment, and Lucy looked at him in shock.

"All of them?" Lucy asked.

"I told you I would take care of the surveillance," he smirked.

Without Natsu's help, she wouldn't have found where Gray was being held captive. Together, they had planned his rescue. However, when Natsu stated he would take care of the surveillance in the building, she didn't believe he meant every person that could spot them.

"You shouldn't underestimate the Salamander's abilities." Gold Pistol appeared in the doorway, several of his goons flanking either side of him. "The hallways are littered with the unconscious bodies of the rival Boss's men."

"Gold Pistol," she gasped, caught off-guard by his sudden appearance. "Why are you here?"

"To collect the treasure, of course." He rubbed his mustache as his eyes found Gray's.

Lucy's body instinctively moved so that she was fully in front of Gray. There was no way she was going to hand her best friend over to him. She had just freed him from one mafia boss. He wasn't going to be held captive by another.

Pointing her gun at Gold Pistol, Lucy glared at the boss of the Italian mafia. "I won't hand Gray over to you."

Gold Pistol's men instantly raised their guns and pointed them towards Lucy, their fingers on the trigger.

"Lucy, don't." Gray put a hand on her shoulder to try and calm her, but she just shook her head.

"I won't let him take you," she whispered fiercely to him.

"Put your guns down," Natsu demanded Gold Pistol's men. Hesitation flickered in their eyes. They couldn't let a threat to their boss go unpunished, but they also didn't want to earn the wrath of the Salamander either.

"If you fools don't do as the Salamander demanded, Juvia will have you all killed." Juvia's voice echoed through the room and the men immediately dropped their guns. They parted for her and her long legs carried her into the room. Lucy shivered at the sight of her. She was gorgeous in a white silk blouse and black leather pants, with bright blue heels. Yet, her eyes were steel as she glared angrily at the men.

"Gray is standing right there," she yelled at them. "What were you thinking? If you shot that impy blonde, you would have shot Gray as well. I should have you all killed for even putting him in that danger in the first place."

"Juvia, my dear," Gold Pistol cooed. "They were only trying to-"

"No excuses," she growled. "His life is more important than anyone else's in this room."

Gold Pistol stiffened at Juvia's words, shooting a glare of his own at Gray, before composing his features into a brilliant smile. "You are absolutely right, my dear. To show my apology, why don't you take your fiancé and go to the country villa tonight? I'm sure you both have had quite enough time apart and need to put this awful ordeal behind you. Some much needed alone time is called for don't you think?"

Instantly, Juvia's demonic demeanor transformed into that of a lovestruck girl. Gold Pistol knew how to flip her mood and disarm her fury. Her anger tossed aside, Juvia turned away from the men and smiled brightly at Gray.

"Gray, dear!" She sang. "I've missed you so much, darling!" Running towards him, Juvia stopped when Lucy redirected her gun towards her.

"Don't come any closer," Lucy demanded. Her palms were becoming sweatier; her heart beat faster. She hadn't planned on Gold Pistol or Juvia being here. She wasn't expecting to confront two mafia forces tonight.

Juvia's mood shifted again, her dream-like gaze turning into a nightmarish glare. She held her hand up, stopping her men from reacting.

"Lucy, please." Gray's grasp on her shoulder tightened. "It's okay."

"No, it's not!" Lucy cried. "I worked so hard to rescue you."

"I never asked you to do that," he shouted.

Stunned, Lucy whirled around to face her best friend. Gray stared down at her, his face hard. She tried to search his eyes, but they were emotionless.

"I-I don't understand? Tell me; you don't actually want to go with her? Right?"

"Whether I want to go with her or not doesn't matter. This is my choice to make, not yours."

Her eyes widened, unable to believe what she was hearing. _This isn't supposed to happen_. She thought. _He's just being forced to. Yeah, that's it._ Lucy convinced herself that that was the case. _Gray only said that because he didn't believe he had any other options_.

Leaning in closer, she lowered her voice so that only Gray could hear her words. "Don't worry. I'll figure something out. Natsu and I…we'll create a distraction, and you can escape. There's a parked car, and the keys are-"

"Lucy. That's enough." Gray shook his head at her. "I don't want to see you get hurt because of me. What's the point when there's no escaping this?" he whispered, defeat etched in his tone.

Tears dripped down her cheeks as she watched the resolution set in Gray's eyes. He meant it. He was going to sacrifice himself for her. He was going to let Juvia and Gold Pistol win, for her. What kind of sacrifice was that? Didn't he realize how that would make her feel? Was she that powerless she couldn't even save her best friend? Was all that planning and careful preparation for nothing? Lucy shook her head furiously. This wasn't going to happen. This wasn't going to end this way.

Lucy looked around the room, seeing Gold Pistol and Juvia - and their armed guards. Gray was right. There would be no escape from them. Regardless, she wanted to protect Gray. She wanted to rescue him, and she would. She had to. Stepping away from him, Lucy pointed her gun back at Juvia. It was her love that had trapped Gray. It was her fault he had to sacrifice himself. If she wasn't here then he would be free. Lucy would free Gray, no matter the cost.

"For once, the princess is right," Natsu sighed as he pointed his gun at Lucy.

"Nat…su?" Lucy looked at him in shocked. What was he doing? He was pointing his gun at the wrong person. Gold Pistol. Juvia. They were the enemy. Natsu was supposed to be her ally. She couldn't have gotten here if it wasn't for him. She searched his face for a sign, a hint that this was just a ruse, yet he stared back at her. His eyes said it all. He was serious.

Natsu's betrayal cut deep. She thought that she could trust him. Now, everything he told her, everything that he promised her were all lies and deception. Treasure. That was where his true loyalties laid. Natsu had promised he would help her. He had promised he wouldn't hand Gray over to the Italian Mafia, but it seemed like those were promises he just couldn't keep. She, however, had promised to rescue Gray, and she wasn't about to break that promise. Not for anything.

Gray reacted instantly, moving to aim at Natsu, but Natsu moved quicker. He knocked Gray's gun out of his hand, before moving behind him and hitting him with the butt of his gun. Gray collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

"Salamander!" Juvia yelled in fury at the same time Lucy called out Gray's name.

"He's not dead," Natsu said in his defense. "Now take the princess and leave."

Juvia threw another glare at him before snapping her fingers. Two men departed from Gold Pistol's side and reached for Gray.

"No!" Lucy cried as she whirled towards them. Natsu turned on her, knocking her gun out of her hand and sending it flying across the room. The men reached Gray and picked him up off the ground.

"Don't touch him," she gripped her knife tighter, lunging towards them. But once again, Natsu was there to interfere. He caught her wrist, tightening his grasp around it. The knife dropped from her hand, clattering at her feet. He moved around her, pinning her arms against her back, restraining her.

"Stop! Leave him alone." She kicked and pulled against Natsu's grasp, but despite her efforts, his hold remained steadfast.

"Let me go, Natsu," she roared, desperately trying to break free. Her mind couldn't process what was happening right now. Gray was being taken from her again. Her best friend was in trouble, and she couldn't do anything. "You can't- I won't let you take him! Gray. Gray! GRAAAAYY!"

She was forced to watch as Juvia's men carried him to the door. Juvia flipped her long blue locks over her shoulder as she looked back at Lucy. "Wait," she ordered her men. She walked back to Lucy who was still struggling in Natsu's arms.

"That look," Juvia noted as she peered into Lucy's eyes. "You're not going to stop trying to take Gray away from Juvia." It wasn't a question. It was a fact, and both Juvia and Lucy knew it. Lucy had meant it when she said she wasn't going to hand Gray over to Gold Pistol or Juvia. She would rescue her best friend from their clutches no matter what. Her mind was set, and her heart was steeled. The mafia, Natsu, no matter who it was, she would go against anyone who got in her way. Even though she was powerless now, she would keep fighting. She wouldn't give up. Never.

"That simply won't do," Juvia sighed as she shook her head. She kicked the hilt of the knife at her feet, just like she had done back at Gold Pistol's manor. However, this time, she didn't order her men to kill Lucy. Plunging the blade deep into Lucy's chest, Juvia did it herself.

* * *

Lucy woke with a start, her body drenched in a cold sweat as her hands clawed at her chest for a knife that wasn't there.

 _It was just a dream_ , she thought as the remnants of it trailed away, bringing into focus the reality around her. Weak sunlight filtered into the room as Lucy tried to untangle her limbs from the bed sheets. In her struggle, she fell off the bed and landed heavily on the floor. Lying there, Lucy was still shaken about what she had dreamt. Despite the fact that she had never handled a gun in her life, the dream had seemed so real.

"It was just a dream." She tossed her head aside, picking herself up off the ground. Somehow, saying the words aloud gave her more reassurance that they were the truth.

There was a bathroom connected to the bedroom she had woken up in. Lucy headed towards there to splash water on her face. Looking at her reflection, her eyes were red and her cheeks were crusted with dry tears. Dark circles framed her eyes, giving Lucy a distant and tired expression. She washed her face and finger-combed her messy hair. It had been awhile since she had looked this bad. The stress was taking its toll on her. It had only been one day, but not knowing where Gray was, if he was alright, or if he was even still alive weighed heavy on her heart.

When she walked downstairs, the smell of coffee gave her senses a jolt. Entering the kitchen, she saw Natsu setting dishes onto the island and paused. Flashes of her dream overlaid reality, and remembering Natsu's betrayal in her dream made her flinch. He looked up and began to smile, but frowned at her appearance.

"You look awful," he stated.

"Good morning to you, too," she mumbled as she made her way to the coffee. Walking past Natsu, she tried to act normal. There were already two mugs set out, and Lucy grabbed one, pouring the fresh brew into it. Cream and sugar containers were marked next to the coffee pot, and Lucy helped herself to some of each. Pulling out a stool at the island, she sat down and grabbed a spoon, mixing the contents of her coffee, lost in thought.

In her dream, Natsu had pretended to be on her side. He helped her to find Gray only to hand him over to Juvia in the end. She gripped her mug tighter, remembering how Natsu had restrained her, stopping her from helping Gray. His betrayal had forced her to helplessly watch as Gray's freedom was once again stolen from him. And then the knife…

"Lucy!"

Flinching, Lucy almost knocked over her coffee. Some of the contents spilled onto her hand, making her wince at the pain.

"Why are you spacing out?" Natsu grabbed her hand, quickly walking her over to the sink. He flipped the faucet on, and cold water poured over her hand, dulling the pain. He held her wrist gently, but all Lucy could envision was him gripping it tighter to get her to drop a knife she wasn't even holding.

"I'm fine," she snatched her hand away from him, spraying water everywhere. "Sorry, I-"

"Don't worry about it." He turned from her as he flipped off the faucet. Grabbing a dish towel, he mopped up the water on the floor. Once he was finished, Natsu tossed the rag onto the counter. Lucy grabbed a napkin and wiped the spilled coffee away before sitting down again.

"Did you even hear what I was saying?" Natsu leaned against the opposite side of the island, staring at her curiously.

"Um…."

"Thought not," he sighed. "You're acting really weird this morning. I mean, weirder than usual."

Natsu was right. Lucy was acting weirder than usual. That dream she had was throwing everything off. She had to get it together. After all, it was just a dream. Natsu was going to keep his promise. He hadn't betrayed her, so she shouldn't be acting like he had. They would rescue Gray and return to New York safely. Gold Pistol and Juvia wouldn't get their hands on Gray. Lucy could still save him.

"Sorry," Lucy laughed half-heartedly. "It's the jet lag. I"ll be fine after some coffee." To emphasize this, she took a huge swig from her mug. The coffee was still hot, and it slightly burned her tongue, but she ignored it.

"If you say so." Natsu stared at her for a moment, an eyebrow lifted as he contemplated something, but he just shrugged his shoulders.

"What were you saying again?" she asked, switching the subject.

He picked up his own mug and took a sip. "I was asking if you wanted something else for breakfast." Natsu gestured to the spread laid out before them. Flaky croissants were stacked in a basket next to different jams and spreads. A bowl of mixed fruit sat next to a plate of scrambled eggs and turkey bacon. Lucy's stomach growled. She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten.

"This looks great," she exclaimed, reaching for a croissant.

"I also told you I found your princess."

She dropped the croissant back into the basket. All thoughts of food and her growling stomach rushed out of her head. Instead, they were replaced with thoughts of quickly getting to Gray.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" She stood up fast, looking towards the door. "We need to leave now. I can be ready in five- no, three minutes." Her eyes scanned the room, searching for her duffle bag. She could have sworn it had been here last night.

Natsu picked up the croissant she had dropped back into the basket and placed it on her plate along with a spoonful of the scrambled eggs and two strips of bacon.

"Grape, strawberry, or apricot?" she heard him ask, stopping her manic search for her duffle bag.

"What?"

"There's grape, strawberry, and apricot jam. Which one do you want? Or do you just want butter?" He waved a butter knife over the selection of jams, waiting for her response. Lucy looked at him confused. He had just told her he had found Gray. They needed to go save him before Gold Pistol's men found him first. Before the rival Boss decided he no longer needed Gray alive. She was about to tell him so, but Natsu stopped her.

"I know what you're about to say," he sighed, putting down the knife and picking up a piece of bacon instead. "And there are two things we need to do before we go."

"What's the first?" Lucy eyed Natsu suspiciously.

"Eat breakfast." The bacon gave a satisfying crunch as he bit down on it, punctuating his sentence.

"Natsu!" She threw up her hands exasperated with him, her fury starting up.

"Look," he said as he reached for another strip of bacon, waving it around as he talked. "In order to actually go and rescue your friend you have to do two things to make sure that happens. One. Eat breakfast."

Lucy was about to ask how eating breakfast would save Gray, but Natsu wagged the bacon strip in front of him as a means of silencing her before he continued. "You need energy. Your brain won't operate properly if your body is low on fuel. And since you're not physically capable of protecting yourself, then you need all the mental strength you can muster."

Despite the fact that Lucy was distracted by the waving strip of bacon Natsu brandished while talking, he did have a point. Grumbling, she sat back down and tore into her croissant.

"What's the second thing?" she asked as she swallowed, her hand reaching for the apricot jam.

Natsu just smirked, before crunching on the piece of bacon he held. "We'll get to that."

Lucy rolled her eyes, not even bothering to protest. "Fine. At least tell me exactly where Gray is. He's still in Italy right?"

"He's in Venice… somewhere."

"Somewhere?" Lucy arched her eyebrow. "You mean, you still don't know where Gray is being held?"

"We'll find out more when we get there," Natsu responded, smearing strawberry jam inside his croissant.

Compared to searching a whole country for Gray, singling his location down to one city should have made Lucy happier. However, just knowing the city wasn't very helpful. If they went to Venice and started searching randomly for Gray, then the rival Boss could find out and move him somewhere else. Even worse, the rival Boss could get spooked that someone was close to finding Gray and then….

"So… we pretty much still don't know anything," she groaned not wanting to think about what the rival Boss could possibly do.

"Hey," Natsu protested. "I found out quite a lot actually. We'll find your princess if we go to Venice, that's for sure. The rival Boss is located there and won't be leaving anytime soon," he explained.

"And how could you possibly know that?"

"It seems your friend isn't the only person this other boss is after." Natsu passed her a bowl of fruit and made another for himself. "He's looking for someone else as well."

"There's someone else besides Gray who could influence Juvia? Does she have a best friend? Maybe that's who the Boss is looking for," Lucy suggested, trying to envision who that might be.

Natsu shook his head. "Juvia closed herself off when her mother passed away. She doesn't allow herself to get close to anyone. And besides that, no one wants to be her friend. They're too fearful that they'll make one wrong move, and they'll end up with concrete shoes. She may be surrounded by people who respect her, but the truth is, Juvia lives a very sheltered and solitary life."

For a moment, Lucy felt sorry for Juvia. She felt as if she could relate to her in more ways than one. The loneliness. The seclusion. She had enough experience of her own to know how those things can make a person feel. _Maybe she's just like me when I first met Levy and Gray. After all those years alone, maybe that's why Juvia is holding onto Gray so tightly_. The feeling of the knife Juvia plunged into her chest in her dream resurfaced, and she froze. Placing her hand where the wound would have been, Lucy felt her sympathy vanish.

"I don't think the person the rival Boss is looking for is connected to Juvia. I think the person is somehow connected to the princess," Natsu stated.

"To Gray? But that wouldn't make any sense. Sure he's been commissioned by prominent people before, but he's never established a relationship with any of them that could be twisted to another's benefit. Gray's just an artist."

"Exactly how well do you know your friend?" he asked.

"I know Gray," Lucy snapped, irritated by Natsu's indication that she didn't.

Natsu sat down his mug and stared at her seriously. "Are you positive you can say you know everything about him? That you know he's not hiding something from his past?"

Lucy was about to respond, but certain memories surfaced that gave her pause. Thinking about it now, Gray never really talked about his past. Neither did she; but they both avoided that subject. All she knew about his past was that he had grown up in New York with a dream to become an artist. In the years that she had known him, Gray never mentioned anything about his family or his childhood, and he had never asked Lucy about hers. It was another unspoken rule between them. The past was in the past, never in the present.

"I know who he is now, and that's all that matters," she said finally, stabbing her frustration into a piece of fruit.

"Really?" She felt Natsu's mood shift. He narrowed his eyes and they held the same glint of darkness she saw last night. "Even if he did something horrible in his past that shouldn't be forgivable… If he committed a thousand sins, you wouldn't care? You can look away from all that he's done before he met you and say it doesn't matter. Like it never happened at all?"

' _It's the name of my sin.'_ The memory of Gray muttering a name in his drunken state, and the explanation he had given her were indications that there was something in Gray's past that still haunted him. It might be the same reason why he never fully opened his heart to anyone. If Lucy knew all his secrets, would that change anything? Would it alter their friendship? Everyone had secrets, a past they didn't want to define them. Something to bury deep inside yourself in order to have a hope of moving on.

Whatever his secrets were, Gray would still be her best friend. His history before they met was his own, but the one they shared, the memories, their friendship was something she wouldn't question. It was something, that couldn't be overwritten.

"Gray is Gray. Despite his past and despite his secrets, he's still my best friend. Like I said, what matters is who you are now." She meant every word she said as she matched Natsu's gaze.

"What matters is who you are now…" He repeated, softly. "Do those words only apply to him?"

Before she could even think about responding, Natsu pushed off the counter. "I should have made more bacon." The breakfast spread was nearly devoured. Natsu had polished off the last of the bacon strips and scrambled eggs, collecting the plates and depositing them into the sink.

Natsu stared at the empty plate the bacon had been on, sadly. He seemed to have shifted back into his usual demeanor. "You can never have too much bacon. Or meat."

"Yeah, I suppose," Lucy noted, taking the hint to change the subject. She was finishing off her bowl of fruit and the last remnants of her coffee as she watched him move about. She was surprised at how much she had eaten. Breakfast was usually several cups of coffee back in New York. But once she set her fork down, her stomach was gratefully full.

"Thanks for breakfast," she said, taking her bowl and mug to the sink. "So what's the other thing I need to do before we go save Gray? Do I need to create an alias? Swear a treasure hunter's oath? Make my bed?"

Of course Natsu would say something silly. If eating breakfast was the first task, then the second one had to be something just as ordinary. Although, she was slightly hoping it was the first thing she suggested. If Natsu was known as Salamander, then maybe she could be known as-

"Oh yeah, that." He turned to her with an innocent-looking smile stretched across his face. "You need to marry me."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N** : Thank you to everyone who gave such great reviews for the last chapter. It really made my day reading all the positive responses. The fact that people like my story and are still following it, astounds me. I'm so happy to have such dedicated readers!

I hope you enjoy this chapter as well! :D

This chapter was betaread by **rasclieboobear**. If you want your story in excellent hands, send it over to this user! Your story will be returned promptly, with clear edits, and great feedback! Thanks again! :)

* * *

The buildings that framed the bank of the Grand Canal were painted in various shades of red, pink, orange, yellow, tan, and ivory white. Despite their youthful colors, the buildings emitted a wealth of age, some having lined the waterway since the 13th century. Their elaborate architecture was a testament to the time of their birth, an era of decadence, prosperity, and affluence. They were all bathed by the glow of orange lights leaking from the street lamps that dotted the narrow smooth stone streets. The light from these lamps spilled from the streets and onto the rippling surface of the canal, making the edges shimmer. Water buses, crowded with tourists, trudged up and down the waterway, carrying their passengers to and from the numerous restaurants and shops that welcomed them. Sleek, black gondolas strolled through the traffic, guided by the expert hands of the gondoliers who ferried love drunk couples across the city. Although it was well into the night, the city of Venice still reverberated with light, color, music, and laughter. Lucy gripped the sloped edge of her gondola, skimming across the canal, her eyes wide and absorbing it all.

Venice was a dream — a dream so beautiful she tried to not even blink for fear it would all disappear. The moment she had stepped off the train and entered this sinking city, it had felt like entering another realm. The city hummed, moving with such vibrancy that it was hard to not be captivated by it. It was as if the city itself knew its tragic fate and offered up its full glory to any who would behold it so that it may continue on in memory alone, long after the sea had reclaimed it.

"You're too far away." A strong hand gently tugged on her shoulder, and Lucy allowed herself to be pulled back into the velvet, red cushions of the gondola. Natsu wrapped his arm around her, and she nestled into him. "Much better," he murmured as he kissed the top of her head.

The gondolier turned down into a more deserted waterway, allowing the sound of the water lapping against the side of the gondola to fill the air. Lucy looked up into the sky, seeing the road of stars above and the near-full moon that poured soft moonbeams over them. As they travelled on, they came upon one of the many bridges that connected the streets of the city together. A lone silhouette stood on the bridge, bowing to the moon. She watched as he straightened, tucking a violin beneath his chin. A moment later, a hauntingly beautiful melody echoed into the night. As their boat passed beneath the bridge the violinist played on, Lucy closed her eyes, letting the aria fill her senses.

All too soon, the hotel the pair were staying at came into view. Natsu stepped off first, offering his hand to Lucy as the gondolier came to a halt at the dock. She slid her hand into his and was pulled from the gondola back into his arms.

"Una rosa per la tua rosa? A rose for your rose?" An elderly woman stood in the lobby of their hotel, a basket of red roses hanging from her arm. She held out a red rose to Natsu as they walked past her.

"She's not a rose." He handed the woman a crisp euro and took the flower. "She's the garden — the keeper of all beauties."

Lucy blushed as he tucked the rose into her hair. He tightened his hand around hers and pulled her into the elevator. Several people piled in after them, crowding the space. Natsu moved to stand behind Lucy, wrapping his arms around her waist. He moved her hair to the side, nuzzling the curve of her neck with his nose. Her skin became sensitive at his touch, and she leaned into him.

"I can't wait to get back to our room," Lucy whispered, and Natsu squeezed his arms around her in agreement.

"Reminds me of us when we were newlyweds," she heard another couple whisper to one another as they watched Natsu and her with knowing glances. The elevator chimed, opening up to their floor. Natsu unwrapped his arms around Lucy and took her hand again, stopping when they were in front of their room. He opened the door with the key, allowing Lucy to walk in first. He closed the door behind him, flipping the lock. The moment Lucy heard the lock click in place, she pushed away from Natsu, giving them a healthy distance.

"Now, honey, don't be shy," Natsu smirked as he leaned against the door, crossing his arms.

"Give it a rest." Lucy rolled her eyes, flicking on the lights of their honeymoon suite.

The honeymoon suite they were staying in consisted of a large, ornate bed piled high with a mountain of fluffy pillows that took up most of the room. The sitting area in the middle of the room, one long couch, two chairs, and a coffee table all faced a gray marble fireplace. There were two doors on either side of the fireplace; one led to a closet and the other a bathroom. The walls were painted in a dusty pink and fresh flowers dotted the empty surfaces. One wall was made entirely of arched windows that looked out onto the canal, all draped in sheer white curtains. A balcony led out into the night where a small table and two chairs were situated to enjoy the view.

"Are you tired, sweetie? Do you want me to give you a massage?" Natsu's eyes glinted with amusement as he teased her, wiggling his fingers in front of him.

"You said we didn't have to pretend when we were alone in here, so knock it off." She plopped down on the couch and removed one of her sandals. "It's exhausting keeping up this ruse all day."

The two of them had spent the day touring the Piazza San Marco, or Saint Mark's Square, viewing the many landmarks located there. They had visited Saint Mark's Basilica and all of its architectural glory, slipped in and out of the dozens of shops located on the ground level of the Procuratie Vecchie, lunched at the famous Caffè Quadri, and viewed the Clock Tower before drifting to the Piazzetta di San Marco where they took pictures in front of the Lion of Venice and spent the rest of their time touring the Doge's Palace. All the while, they had held hands, cuddled, whispered sweet nothings to each other, teased and googly-eyed one another until Lucy was about to break from all the PDA.

"Yeah, being married to me is such a challenge," Natsu rolled his eyes.

"Do you know how hard it was not to laugh in your face when you said: 'She's not a rose. She's the garden — the keeper of all beauties'?"

"That line was gold," he protested, pushing off the door to sit on one of the chairs next to the couch.

"And when you kept nuzzling my neck in the elevator, I had to fight my natural reflexes to keep from smacking you." Lucy undid the straps of her other sandal and slid it off.

"Your natural reflexes seemed to suggest otherwise, Mrs. 'I can't wait to get back to our room.'"He smirked.

"I didn't mean it like that," she snapped. "You were laying it on thick out there. I wanted…needed a break from it all."

"I'm a man on his honeymoon," he shrugged. "Of course I'm going to 'lay it on thick' when I'm in public. Don't you want your husband to be affectionate?"

"What I want in a husband is no concern to you," she said quickly, a tightness in her tone. "We're not even really married."

Two days ago, when Natsu told her the second thing she needed to do in order to save Gray was marry him, she was so shocked she dropped the dishes in her hand, shattering them on the floor. She hadn't been expecting that answer. However, Natsu then explained their marriage was just all an act in order to search the city for Gray while they waited for his informant to contact him. If they pretended to be a love-stuck newlywed couple taking in the sights, no one would suspect they were scouring for information and possible locations where Gray could be held. Natsu's explanation had made sense. Venice was littered with real couples indulging in the romance of the city. Natsu and Lucy blended in perfectly…too perfectly at times.

"A potato smells like a potato no matter how it's cooked," Natsu replied, chuckling to himself.

"What the hell does that even mean?"

Natsu just shrugged in response, still smirking.

"Ugh." She massaged her temple with her fingers. "I bet you would be the only person crazy enough to ever manage being married to you."

"Oh?" Natsu arched his eyebrow at Lucy. "Two days of marriage, and you're already imagining a world where there were two of me?"

"That's not what I meant," she snapped again. "Just- Just go take a shower first and cool that flaring ego of yours."

"You want more of me, and now you want me naked." Natsu chuckled as he stood from the chair, crossing the room to gather his clothes. "Lucy. Lucy. This is all pretend, remember?"

"Shut up!" She flung one of her sandals at him, blushing. However, he just dodged it, laughing as he entered the bathroom and closed the door.

She sighed loudly, finally having a moment to herself as she relaxed into the couch. The bathroom door opened again, and Natsu popped his head out. Steam drifted out into the room, and the sound of water from the shower spilled out. He had already stripped his shirt off, and Lucy could see the taut, muscular skin of one of his shoulders.

"W-Wh-What are you doing?" She looked away, her blush deepening.

"I just wanted to let you know that if you wanted to keep pretending, I'll keep the door unlocked for you." He gave her a devilish grin and winked at her.

"Y-y-y-y-y-y-you pervert!" Lucy yelled, throwing her other shoe at him. Natsu ducked behind the door, but her aim was wild so it ended up hitting the wall near the bathroom door instead. He laughed, closing the door again. Frustrated, Lucy stormed out of the room and onto the balcony.

The fresh air skimmed across the surface of the canal below and drifted up to cool her flaming cheeks. For the past two days, Lucy had experienced similar moments like this. Even though their marriage was pretend — a ruse in order to find Gray — it was getting to her in more ways than one. Looking down at the rings that adorned her left hand, they felt heavy and out of place. And wrong. The wedding band was made out of 24 karat gold with clear cut diamonds running throughout. Natsu wore a similar styled ring on his ring finger as well. The engagement ring she wore was even more ostentatious. It was a large pear-cut diamond outlined in gold situated on top of a band made entirely of diamonds, all linked together. Both rings were far from Lucy's taste, and they didn't even fit. The rings were too big for her slender fingers. A ring guard was the only thing that kept them from sliding off. Natsu told her they were the best he could do in such a short time. Lucy wondered where he had gotten the rings from. Despite his love for treasure, he didn't seem like the type to carry weddings rings around.

"It's a disguise. It's part of the act," she said aloud, forcing herself to forget about the rings on her finger lest she throw them in the canal like she wanted to. These rings didn't belong there—to her. Not them.

Her gaze shifted to the view in front of her instead. The channel of water their hotel was facing was too narrow for the larger water buses to travel through. It kept the noisier tourists away and allowed for those sitting out on the balcony, like Lucy, or being ferried in a gondola or small water taxi to enjoy the subtler sounds of the city — the ones usually covered up by the loud tourist attractions located on the Grand Canal. In the quiet of the night, the soul of the city sounded.

Well, that was what she was calling it at least. She had noticed it their first night in Venice. She had stepped out onto the balcony, like she had done tonight, lost in her thoughts until she heard it — a song slowly drifting down the waterway, untangling the mess of thoughts in her mind. An operatic voice pouring out a beautiful and sorrowful melody that enraptured her senses until all she could do was focus on the rise and fall of the song with the ebb and flow of the melody as it washed over her. The singer was shrouded in anonymity, but the music produced by her seemed to capture the essence of Venice. The sorrow of knowing one's tragic fate but still carrying on despite that knowledge resonated through the song. It seemed to contain the city's dreams as well as its damnation. The song vibrated off the old walls and glided over the water, seeping into Lucy's soul. It was sad — so sad that she couldn't help but cry when hearing it. Somehow, that only made it even more beautiful. She leaned against the balcony and let the song move through her.

"Lucy."

The song had long since been over, but she could still hear it ringing in her ears—in her heart. Quickly wiping the tears from her eyes, Lucy turned around to find Natsu standing in the doorway with a towel draped off his shoulders. He was bare-chested, the rippling muscles of his body outlined by the beams of moonlight that fell on him until they were cut off by his black silk pajama bottoms. His normally spiky hair laid flat and damp... and black. His dyed hair was part of his disguise. He didn't want the rival Boss or any of his higher up goons to recognize him immediately. Looking at him, without his usual shock of pink hair, he seemed different. It was as if he shifted into a different person. She was used to seeing him in black all the time, but somehow, his pink hair had muted the darkness. With it covered up, Natsu seemed like he was cut from a sharper line. It was like finding the knife you've been holding was no longer dull but now razor-sharp.

"Since you didn't come play, I'm done with my shower, and you're going to have to wash your back by yourself now. But if you ask me really nicely, I might come in and help you out."

"Is that a promise?" she cooed. Natsu arched an eyebrow at her.

"Definitely."

"Well then." Lucy stepped away from the railing and towards Natsu. He watched as she walked, his eyes glinting. "Promise me you'll hold your breath until I do." She brushed past him, grabbed her duffle bag and closed the bathroom door, making sure to lock it.

The first thing she noted was her reflection. She could hardly recognize herself. Her brown eyes were strained, and her skin had darkened a few shades due to long exposure in the Italian sun. The real change, however, in her reflection was her hair. Long brown locks fell midway down her back. It was part of her disguise as "Mrs. Dragion" just as a precaution. She removed the brown wig and shook out her own blonde locks, bringing back some recognition in her reflection.

Unfortunately, her baths had become quick affairs. She would have loved to have lounged in the large bathtub, but the sooner she went to sleep, the sooner she could go out and start looking for Gray. Regardless, she didn't trust Natsu enough to not find an excuse to barge in. Even if the door was locked, she believed if he wanted to come in, that lock would mean nothing to him.

She dressed in a light pink night slip that had white lace around the hem, coming to rest slightly above her mid thigh. It was way too sexy for her. Lucy wished for some cotton pajama bottoms and an oversized t-shirt. Those were the type of clothes Lucy would have packed for herself to sleep in. But no. Virgo had been the one in charge of packing. And Virgo, it seemed, had a fondness for silk, satin, and lace. Well, pretty much anything that was remotely sexy. The first night Lucy had reached into her duffel bag, she had groaned when she felt nothing but the silky material. Later, she discovered Virgo had packed other sensible clothes for during the day, but Lucy's nighttime attire was far from sensible. It was sensual. And mortifying.

Unlocking the door, Lucy opened it slowly, peering out of the crack. _The coast looks clear,_ she thought. Taking a breath, she dashed out of the bathroom and hopped into bed, burrowing under the covers as quick as she could. Safe.

"I shouldn't be surprised." Lucy body stilled at the sound of his voice. At the closeness of it. "This isn't the first time you jumped into bed with me… literally."

Peering over her shoulder, she found his smirking mouth inches from hers. "NATSU!" she yelled, hastening to put distance between them. In her rush, she tangled herself into the sheets. Flailing, she tried to free herself, but managed to fall off the bed which was beginning to become an annoying recurrence for Lucy. Landing on the ground, she winced at the amount of pain her backside received.

"Ouch," she mumbled as she sat up.

"For someone complaining about acting as my wife, you sure like dressing the part at night." Natsu's head peered over the bed, his eyes roaming over her. "I like tonight's outfit too."

Looking down, she noted that the covers had fallen away, revealing Virgo's cruel joke. The slip had ridden higher up her thigh, and one of the straps had fallen down. The overall look was very seductive, and Natsu was taking it all in. The heat rose to her cheeks again as she burned with embarrassment. She cried out as she reached for the covers, wrapping them tightly around her.

"You didn't see any-anything! Forget it right now!" she demanded, her voice shrill.

"What?" Natsu gasped feigning shock. "It would be cruel of me to forget when my cute wife is trying to be so seductive."

"No no no no no no no no." Lucy shook her whole body from side-to-side with embarrassment. "Why, Virgo? Why?" she sobbed, holding the covers closer to her.

"I knew I liked your secretary. Remind me to thank her when we get back," he laughed. Lucy just whimpered, too overcome with embarrassment to speak.

Natsu patted the bed, his dark eyes burning with amusement. "There, there. Come to bed, and I'll make it all better."

Lucy was about to climb into bed, but paused. "We're not sleeping together!"

"Not this again," Natsu rolled on his back and stretched. "No man is supposed to spend his honeymoon on the couch."

"This isn't our honeymoon. We're not married. So get out," she huffed.

"This bed is big enough for four people to sleep comfortably, be nice and share. We slept together before."

"Stop saying it like that! And again. That was different. Now shut up, and go to the couch."

Grumbling, Natsu climbed off the bed taking a blanket and pillow as Lucy climbed in. He made a lot of noise as he situated himself on the couch, muttering about the unfairness of marriage.

"Lucy," she heard him call her from the couch, his voice gone soft. Propping herself up on her elbow, she peered across the room to find him looking at her from over the couch.

"What?"

"I didn't get my goodnight kiss. I can't go to sleep if-"

"Go to sleep!" She chucked a pillow at him, but again, her aim went wild. The pillow hit the light switch, throwing the room into darkness.

* * *

The next morning, the pair were up early and out venturing into the city once more. Venice was not a particularly large city — nothing compared to the size of New York — but it was definitely a great place to hide in. Parts of the city were only accessible by water or blocked off for historical preservation, not to mention the several small islands scattered around the city that Gray could be located on as well. The task of finding Gray seemed daunting, but Natsu had assured Lucy on their first day that they would find a clue to his whereabouts if they went around to talk with the locals. Sure enough, Natsu had been right.

On their first trip into the city, they had discovered that the locals were all preparing for a grand event at the end of the week. A wealthy foreigner had appeared in the city about a week ago. He started renting and ordering large quantities of food, furniture, fireworks, entertainment, and many other luxuries. All the local vendors were rushing to complete the preparations in time for the party. No one knew who he was; they knew only that he wanted to throw a grand affair and was willing to pay an exorbitant amount of money in order to make it a reality. Natsu had just smirked when they discovered this, indicating that the foreigner was definitely the rival Boss. He still wouldn't tell Lucy who he thought the rival Boss was, explaining how it was better to concentrate on rescuing her friend and not bother with the details. Lucy didn't care who had Gray, as long as they were able to rescue him. Being this close to finding him. Being in the same city. It was frustrating that she seemed so close to ending this nightmare, but still so far away.

Today, Lucy and Natsu had been trying to find out where the party was being held and figure out how to get an invitation to it. However, no one they talked to knew where the event was going to be. When someone came by to place the orders in the first place, the vendors were all told the same thing: all vendors would receive further details on the day of the event. Until then, most of the information about the party was still shrouded in mystery. Knowing the rival Boss was very calculative, Natsu believed the rival Boss had an alternative motive for keeping the location secret than just to add suspense.

By the size of the orders at each of the stores they had visited, Natsu determined that the event had to be held in an extremely large venue in order to accommodate the amount of people it seemed were invited. Unfortunately for them, there were several places in Venice that fit that description. After all, the old blue bloods from long ago made it a point to create grand spaces in this beautiful city in order to show off their wealth and affluence. The rival Boss could pick any one of them to host his party, and Natsu would bet a good portion of his own personal treasure that wherever the party was being held, so, too, was the princess. Lucy hoped he was right. It made discovering the location of the party that more imperative.

What unnerved Natsu, he expressed to Lucy, was the rival Boss's reason for all of this. Toby had told Natsu this was a personal matter for his Boss. So why, then, was the rival Boss going through all this trouble and creating an elaborate event? What purpose could this event serve in handling whatever matter made the Boss kidnap Gray in the first place? These were questions the two of them pondered over together, but until Ichiya contacted Natsu with some information, they both were in the dark.

The majority of the day had been spent going into more shops, buying souvenirs and hunting for information at each one. Lucy tried her best to continue acting like her only care in the world was figuring out what Venetian mask was the best one to buy or what keychain truly captured the fact she had been in Venice all the while still pretending to be hopelessly, head-over-heels in love with Natsu.

It wasn't that it was hard to pretend to be attracted to him or that she hated being with him; Natsu made it a point to tease her constantly and was a little overly affectionate at times. Nonetheless, sometimes, there had been moments in the past couple of days when he had treated her with such gentleness or looked at her with a softness in his eyes that caused her heart to start hammering in her chest. Their marriage was an act, so it would explain those tender moments. She understood that; however, she didn't understand her reaction to them. It annoyed her that she would get caught up in the moment, momentarily forgetting about Gray or why they were even in Venice in the first place. Those moments, it really felt like they were an ordinary couple. It was during those times that she had to repeatedly remind herself that he was pretending — that she was just pretending too.

It was well into the afternoon and, being late in the summer months, Venice was still unpleasantly hot. They had stopped at a small café looking over one of the smaller canals to escape the heat. More locals seemed to populate the place than tourists, making it an ideal stop to rest yet still gather any bits of information they could. Lucy ordered lemon-flavored gelato to help herself cool down. Natsu had ordered Stracciatella-flavored gelato to do the same. They were talking merrily, resting their tired feet as the surrounding locals spoke happily to one another in Italian. Lucy had no idea what they were saying, but surprisingly enough, Natsu spoke perfect Italian. It seemed there was no limit at what he could do. He indicated he had learned the language since his family kept getting angry calls from the Italian police whenever his sister would go out drinking. It made calming down the Italians a little easier. Lucy didn't want to know why the Italian police had called so many times that it made Natsu learn the language. His family seemed just as exhausting as he was.

"Let me try it," Natsu leaned towards Lucy, eyeing her gelato.

"No, you have your own." She held her gelato away, taking another lick of the lemon-flavored deliciousness stacked high on her cone.

"Yeah, but you make yours look so good," he whined. "I want to try."

"Too bad." She took another lick. "It's really delicious, too."

She had half-turned in her seat to emphasize again how delicious it was when Natsu leaned in closer to her, pressing his mouth mere centimeters from the corner of her own. He leaned back, his eyes light with mischief as he licked his lips, savoring the bit of gelato that had been stuck on her face.

"You're right," he smirked. "Delicious."

 _His mouth. Near mine. So close. He was so close. Too close. Too close. Too close. We almost k-k-k-k-k._ Lucy's thoughts were sputtering nonsense as she processed what had just happened.

Meanwhile, Natsu went back to enjoying his own gelato as if he hadn't almost kissed her. She felt her face go scarlet and her poor heart... It was ricocheting off her ribs, leaping into her throat and repeating the motions all over again.

Natsu finished his gelato and looked over at her with a devilish grin on his. "Don't worry." He pointed to the corner of his mouth, where a small smear of his gelato was left. "I left some for you to try, too."

He had teased her before on several occasions, but she didn't know how to react or what to say. She just stared at him as he looked at her with those dark eyes of his, burning, burning, burning with something that went beyond mischief. It was as if he was daring her, coaxing her to play along with him yet knowing she wouldn't ever take his bait. But Lucy wasn't going to back down. If he could tease her as much as he wanted, then she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of showing him how much it got to her.

Natsu laughed as he reached for a napkin to clean his face. Lucy placed her free hand on his to stop him; leaning in, she licked the gelato away near his mouth.

Blushing furiously, she looked up at him through her eyelashes. "Yours is good, too."

To her credit, Lucy had the privilege to see Natsu truly shocked for the first time since they met in the bookstore all those months ago. His eyes had gone wide, and a blush crept onto his cheeks. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. He looked away from her, placing a hand over his face to hide just how much of a shock she had given him.

"I-I-I- because you...and-" Lucy sputtered on, trying to give a reason for she had done. _Why did I just do that?_

When he turned back to face her, he was giving Lucy one of his trademark smirks. He pulled her chair closer to him, brushing her fake brown hair behind her ear as he leaned closer to her. Her heart was beating faster, and her mind was too busy focusing on the exact places where his fingers brushed against her skin.

 _He's so close. So close. So close._ She could see the glint in his eyes, the spark of amusement before his lips brushed against her ear.

"Looks like my wife likes playing along more than I thought," he whispered, chuckling softly. "If that's the case, how about-"

Natsu's cell phone rung, cutting him off. Annoyed, he pulled away from Lucy and retrieved the phone from his pocket. One glance at the number, and Natsu stood from the table. His mood shifted as he dropped his smirk and stared at his phone seriously.

"Sorry, I need to take this. Stay here, and I'll be right back." He walked quickly out of the café, pressing the cellphone to his ear as he left.

She watched him walk away, unable to tear her gaze from him. _What was he going to say?_ she thought, still blushing crazily. _I-I was just pretending. We both were. That's it. I shouldn't make a big deal out of this. If he can play like that, then it shouldn't be weird that I…that I…._

It wasn't until he was gone that Lucy was able to calm her beating heart and thrumming nerves.

She breathed deeply and exhaled. As she calmed herself, her mind wondered about the phone call instead.

 _Maybe it was his informant on information about Gray or the rival Boss._ She thought as she finished her gelato. Her gaze shifted to the door that Natsu had left through, wanting him to hurry back and explain. If the information he received led to finally locating Gray, then they could end their ruse.

 _I won't get caught up in the moment any more._ Lucy looked down at the rings on her finger, and felt the wrongness of them still. _The sooner we can stop pretending the better._

Natsu had been gone for a while — long enough for Lucy to become worried. She left the café, looking around to where she believed he had gone to take his call. Trying to look over the heads of the people passing her on the streets, it was a little hard to spot him in the crowd. If he had his usual pink hair, it would have made spying him easier.

It was a little ways from the café when she finally spotted him. She was about to call out to him, when she stopped herself. She found Natsu, but he wasn't alone. A beautiful, long-limbed blonde was cuddling up to him on a bench.

 _What is he doing?_ she thought as she ducked down behind a lamp post. _This has to be a mistake. A misunderstanding. Because Natsu... he wouldn't._ Observing them, she watched as Natsu wrapped his arm around the girl, bringing her closer to him. His hand cupped the girl's face as he turned his body, his back now to Lucy, and leaned in and kissed her. The sight of the two of them together made her heart squeeze painfully. Her feet were already taking her in the opposite direction. Walking, then walking faster and faster, until she was running down the street, past the café where moments ago they were eating gelato, and Lucy had gotten caught up in the moment — past the shops they had visited searching for information about the rival Boss. She ran and ran, running down random streets and over bridges letting the city swallow her. There wasn't a particular direction to which she was heading. All Lucy could think about was the need to get away — far away from that sight.

It wasn't because of jealousy, she told herself. There was no reason for her to be jealous. Natsu and her... they were barely even friends — friends who just so happened to be pretending to be married to one another, pretending to be married in order to save her best friend. She had been stupid to believe him — stupid enough to follow along with this ridiculous idea in the first place. Natsu had said they needed to pretend to be married to each other to find Gray, but how was kissing another girl in the middle of Venice pretending to be married? How was it helping anything at all except his own stupid self?

If Natsu would rather flirt with and kiss other girls instead of helping her find Gray, then fine. He had helped her this much; he didn't need to help her any further. She would find Gray on her own. Tearing the stifling wig off her head, she shook out her blonde hair, tossing the wig into a nearby garbage bin. If Natsu was done pretending, then so was she.

Lucy came to rest on a bridge exhausted from all the running she had done. Looking around her, she couldn't figure out where she was. It was in a part of the city she hadn't been to before. Leaning over the stone railing of the bridge, she stared at her reflection in the water below. She was angry. At herself. At him. Natsu was jeopardizing everything for what? A silly little affair? In her mind, she kept seeing the scene with Natsu and the girl play out.

 _It was just like before._ The scene was so similar. The ache in her chest just as painful as she remembered. Tears pricked her eyes, splashing down into the canal, slowly. _I'm not sad. I'm not sad._ She tried to wipe the tears away, willing them to disappear, but now they rushed down her cheeks.

"I'm such a mess," she sobbed.

"You can say that again."

Lucy whirled around to find a young woman standing behind her. She looked about the same age as Lucy with a cute face, long dark-pink hair, hard blue eyes, and a curvaceous body. The stranger stared at Lucy, her mouth set in a firm line as if the sight of her was irritating. Her gaze flickered from Lucy to a small piece of paper she held in her hand.

"Yep. There's no mistaking it," the young woman said, staring at the paper.

"W-What?" Lucy was confused. She had never seen this person before in her life, and she didn't know why this woman looked so angry at her.

The pinkette flipped the paper over, bringing it inches from Lucy's face. Lucy blinked. It wasn't a piece of paper at all. It was a photograph. A photograph of her.

"You're a hard person to find, Lucy Heartfilia."

"How do you know my-"

A sweet-smelling cloth pressed against her nose and mouth. Before she could stop herself, she was breathing in the sweet scent. She could feel her eyelids fluttering as she fought to remain conscious. A presence stepped behind her, catching her falling body in strong, muscular arms.

"Now, now," she heard the woman chide as she was being carried away. "For love, we mustn't tarry. My dear Boss has waited long enough."


	12. Chapter 12

The phone buzzed in Natsu's hand, the number still flashing on the screen. He hurried away from the café, weaving through the mass of people crowding the streets. Spying a deserted space between two nearby buildings, he slipped away from the crowd, blending into the shadows as he leaned against the stone exterior. He peered into the dark surrounding him, checking to make sure there were no unwanted ears about. Satisfied that he was alone, Natsu finally accepted the call.

"You better have information for me," Natsu growled low into the phone.

"Salamander," a familiar voice whined on the other end of the call. "You're always so rude to me and my nose. That's not a proper greeting at all."

"Ichiya," he growled again. Natsu was not in the mood to deal with Ichiya's antics. It seemed like his informant had impeccable timing as always. Just when he was about to have some fun with Lucy and then-

"Meeen! I didn't interrupt something, did I?" Ichiya gasped. "You're with this 'friend' of yours aren't you? Oh! How is that going? Meeeen, even from here I can smell-"

"The next time you speak, it better be about the information I need on a certain princess, or I'm going to be a little more than just rude." Natsu closed his eyes and spoke through gritted teeth. Why did his best informant have to be so….Was there even a word to describe him? Usually, it didn't take this long for Ichiya to gather information on someone. He was shockingly capable with a 24-hour turnaround. Natsu needed to know the motives of the rival Boss. If he knew what the reason was behind the princess's kidnapping, he could better predict his moves. _What was this damn personal matter really about anyway?_ There was a long pause on the phone, followed by a low grumbling of words Natsu couldn't make out. Two loud sniffs later, Ichiya spoke.

"Meeen! It's always the threats and glares with you Salamander. You're always one for the dramatics." Natsu was about to unleash a wave of new threats, but luckily for his informant, Ichiya continued. "It seems your suspicions were warranted, Salamander. The information I gathered is too sensitive to pass over the phone. Even with all the precautions you take with your secured line, I wouldn't risk it. It'll be delivered with the most lovely bouquet of flowers, though. You're fond of sunflowers, I remember."

"Sunflowers? Yeah, sure," Natsu continued on with their code. "Where will the bouquet be delivered?"

"Sending the location over to you now." Natsu felt his phone buzz, notifying the location had been sent to him.

"Got it."

"One more thing Salamander," Ichiya sniffed again. Ichiya's voice lost its usual bright and cheerful tones and became serious. "Though, I know how fearsome you can be, don't underestimate this cold wind. I smell a blizzard coming." Natsu's body stilled.

 _What had Ichiya discovered?_ He thought as Natsu ended the call. He opened up the message Ichiya had sent and decoded it to get the coordinates it indicated. Luckily, the delivery location wasn't too far away. He needed to grab the information and get back to Lucy as soon as possible. Ichiya's warning still echoed in his mind as he reentered the crowd. Whatever Ichiya had discovered about the princess's past was unsettling enough to make him warn Natsu. It looked like he had to think of a different tactic to finding the rival Boss's location. And soon.

 _Just what is the princess hiding?_

Following the coordinates, Natsu ended up at an empty bench along the canal. Looking around, there was no one that immediately jumped out to him that Ichiya could have sent. He sat down and waited, pretending to be a tired tourist taking a break from the sights, all the while running through the information he had.

Based on Lucy's knowledge, the princess was only an artist―a second-rate artist. Well, maybe a half-step above second-rate if he caught the eye of Juvia Lockser. And Gold Pistol brought Gray over to Italy as a birthday present. Then again, Gold Pistol always had unusual tastes. Natsu remembered Lucy saying she met the princess about five years ago when she first moved to New York. In that span of time, nothing had jumped out to her as strange, and his actions seemed normal. Lucy truly believed her friend was an innocent victim in this whole scenario. Natsu, however, believed otherwise, and his proof lied in the information that Ichiya was able to sniff out. Whatever secrets her friend tried to keep buried would help discover why this Boss had gone to so much trouble in the first place to kidnap him.

 _But why now_? Natsu thought, staring up into the sky. It was a clear day with no clouds in sight. The sun beamed down on the city, unrelenting as the heat of the day swelled. _Why did the Boss wait until now to handle his "personal matter_?" He didn't want to admit it, but this "treasure hunt" was becoming more and more complicated. There were too many questions and not enough answers. Being ignorant in the Underworld was dangerous with deadly consequences.

Sighing, Natsu dropped his gaze from the sky and looked back at the stream of people walking past him, his impatience growing. Movement to his left caught his attention, and his eyes darted to see a figure cutting through the crowd directly towards him.

"Sally!" The figure emerged, calling out to him. Natsu looked around, thinking he was being confused with someone else. A beautiful, long-limbed blonde skipped the distance between them before snuggling up to him on the bench. "I've missed you so much, Sally-Drally," she cooed, looping her arm through his.

"I'm not-" She cut him off by placing a finger gently against his lips and gave him a subtle wink. It was then that he noticed the girl was wearing a dress covered in sunflowers.

' _It'll be delivered with the most lovely bouquet of flowers, though. You're fond of sunflowers, I remember._ ' Ichiya's words repeated in Natsu's head, and everything clicked into place. She had the information he needed. This was one of Ichiya's "Flowers." Like his white clad workers at Pegasus, Ichiya's Flowers' work revolved around gathering information, except the Flowers were a mobile operation. Natsu had encountered them for years, secretly dropping off information to him whenever he requested Ichiya's help. Men, women, young, old—the Flowers were an extensive group of people that infiltrated several organizations in order to keep Ichiya informed. Despite the innocence of their name, the Flowers were brutal when it came to gathering information. Natsu thought they resembled weeds more than flowers.

"Sally-Lally, I bet you're surprised to see me, aren't you?" She smiled up at him again, removing her finger from his lips and batting her long eyelashes.

Natsu didn't know how to respond. He knew this was all another act, but— _What the hell is up with this damn 'Sally' shit anyway?_ Natsu thought, his eyebrow twitching. He made a note in his mind to have a special talk with Ichiya on how to properly deliver information. He coughed, recovering himself and forced a smile of his own, though it looked more like a grimace.

"Indeed I am…um…dear." His words were rigid and clearly forced. _It's so much easier to pretend with Lucy_.

"You don't seem happy at all to see your Sunny-Hunny, Sally-Wally." The girl rolled her eyes and unlooped their arms, crossing her own and pouted.

"Don't be like that." He took a deep breath and made his forced grin even wider. "See…Sunny-Hunny." _Best informant be damned. I'm going to kill Ichiya._

Throwing her arms around him, the girl snuggled closer to Natsu again. All he could think about was how this scene might look, and he was thankful that he left Lucy at that café. There was no way he wanted her to see him acting like this. She would make fun of him all night long and never let him hear the end of it. These pet names were killing him.

"I even wore the perfume you liked so much." The girl—Sunny—moved her curtain of blonde hair to one side, exposing her neck. "This perfume was hard to find, but I know how much you love this scent, Sally-Tally." She dropped her voice low, speaking seductively yet lacing her words with another meaning as she tilted her head invitingly.

Natsu understood the meaning of the gesture and reached to cradle her cheek, going along with the act. He shifted on the bench and leaned in to close the distance. His back and arms blocked most of the girl's actions from view, and they both tilted their heads, so no one noticed as she lifted a hand to his chest, slipping in a small flash drive in his shirt pocket.

"How could you, Sally-Dally," Sunny gasped pulling away from Natsu suddenly. He stared at her, blinking in confusion at her angry features. "I smell another woman's perfume on you! After I came all this way to surprise you, too." Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued on with her dramatics.

"Uh…I-" _Murder. I'll murder him. Brutally. Ichiya you've gone too far._

"Don't try to deny it, Sally-Cally. How could you hurt your Sunny-Bunny like this?" The girl stood from the bench and looked down at him. Her tears were already dry, and he could see the glint of humor in her eyes. "We're through. I can't be with a cheater. Goodbye, Sally-Mally." Sunny flipped her long blonde hair as she dramatically left Natsu on the bench, his eyebrow still twitching with his growing aggravation. His forced smile collapsed as he ground his teeth. He caught bits of passing conversations from people who had witnessed the scene, all whispering about the tragedy of love affairs.

 _I'm not going to be satisfied with just killing Ichiya_ , Natsu thought as he stood from the bench, hurrying away from the scene, the flash drive weighing down his front pocket. _Ichiya needs to suffer. I'll kill him. Bring him back to life. And kill him again._

Everything had taken much longer than Natsu had anticipated. He wanted to check out the information right away, but it would have to wait. He needed to get back to the café quickly. With Ichiya's warning, things weren't really safe at the moment. Getting back to the hotel now was more important. Natsu knew he could handle any threats that came from the rival Boss, but Lucy wasn't adept to living in this world. She wasn't a fighter and couldn't even defend herself properly. He didn't want to bring Lucy to Venice in the first place. When he told her about the wolves of the mafia, he had hoped it would deter her, scare her enough to let him handle things by himself, but she was such a stubborn CEO.

The only reason he had brought Lucy along to Venice was that he knew she would never wait for him at Cana's house in Rome—like he wanted her to. She was so stubborn when it came to personally rescuing her friend. Instead of getting into a pointless argument, he came up with the whole fake marriage scheme. He never thought she would agree to it. However, since she surprisingly did agree, it was a good excuse for them to constantly be together, so he could keep tabs on her. If they did run into trouble, he would be there to protect her. Natsu was more than confident in his own abilities.

However, he never thought Lucy would be so good at acting. Nor did he expect how easy it was for him to pretend, either. There were times when he had to remind himself that this was only pretend. Nonetheless, sometimes, she would look at him or say his name, and he wondered, for the first time, what it would be like to share a life with someone. For the times when he couldn't tell the difference between pretend and reality, his heart tightened with fear. Natsu wanted to be close to Lucy—that was the truth. He wanted to show her that she could rely on him, that she could trust him, yet he had to remind himself not to get _too_ close. If he let himself get carried away, he didn't know if he could hold himself back, and that was dangerous for both of them for several reasons—none that Lucy would ever know.

Still, for some reason, it was just too much fun teasing her. Natsu wondered if he could somehow pick up where they had left off. No doubt Lucy was going to be pissed that he made her wait so long. Maybe they would buy more gelato before they headed back. She had definitely surprised him with her bold move. He wanted to see what else she would do if he provoked her enough. Chuckling to himself, he reentered the café but paused when he didn't spot Lucy right away. He scanned the entire store, but those large brown eyes he had continually gotten lost in were nowhere to be found.

 _She might be in the restroom._ Spotting the waiter that had taken their orders, Natsu went up to him and asked him in Italian if he had seen his wife around the café.

"She left the café a little while ago and went that way, sir," the waiter responded in Italian, pointing in the direction Natsu had just come. That worried him. Surely, he would have spotted her in the crowd if they passed one another. Even in her disguise, Natsu would recognize her immediately. _Didn't I tell her to stay here?_

"You're the one with the pretty brunette from earlier." A waitress stopped in front of them, a tray of dirty dishes stacked high in her hands. She looked at Natsu, giving him a hard glare.

"Yes, that's my wife. I had to step out for a moment, but now it seems she wandered off," he responded tightly. He didn't know what he did to piss this waitress off, but he didn't appreciate the glare she was giving him.

"No doubt to get away from you," the waitress grumbled.

"Orsina," the other waiter snapped. "Don't talk to our customers like that." Orsina just rolled her eyes.

"I don't care if he's a customer or not, Masimo," she shot back, speaking rapidly in Italian. "Why else would his wife look so upset when she ran past here? I've seen enough couples to know the look of a breaking heart on a woman's face. So I'm not going to hold my tongue against the culprit."

"Sir, I apologize for my co-worker. She recently broke up with her boyfriend, so she might be-" Masimo tried to explain, but Natsu didn't care about any of that.

"She looked upset?" Something in Natsu's chest tightened. _She didn't see me with Sunny, did she? But that wouldn't upset her…would it? No, stop being vain. Of course something else happened. Something's not right._

"She was clearly fighting back tears, running down the street like she was trying to get away from something-or someone." The waitress eyed Natsu.

"Which way did she go? Tell me." He was already looking out the windows that lined the front of the café to see if somehow he could see which direction Lucy had gone. He shifted his gaze back to Orsina. "Please."

Orsina stared at him hard for a long moment, her glare boring into his pleading eyes. Orsina rolled her shoulders, making the dishes clink together. "She went left then went over the bridge," she relented.

"Thank you," Natsu managed to say, before he bolted out the door, taking a left and running across the bridge Orsina had indicated. He kept running, not really sure where he was going, his eyes scanning the faces he ran past in hopes one of them would be Lucy.

 _Damn. Damn. Damn. Damn_. The feeling in his chest tightened with every step he took. He couldn't explain it, but something felt off. He had to find Lucy. Fast. Up ahead, his heart skipped when he saw a woman with the same brown hair as Lucy's wig. _It's her._ He reached out, grabbing the girl's shoulder.

"Lucy!" The girl turned around, but it wasn't her. Natsu mumbled an apology to the stranger as he continued on with his search. He visited all the shops that the two had went to earlier, retracing their route and then searched new ones. Stopping random people on the street, he asked if they had seen her. Nothing. It was like she had vanished.

 _Why was she upset? Orsina said she was running. Was it because of Gold Pistol's men? Were they chasing her? No, her disguise was good enough. They couldn't recognize her. His men are idiots._ Natsu tried to calm himself down, but it just made his anxiety increase.

There was another reason why he wanted Lucy to wear a disguise. He initially told her it was to keep the rival Boss's goons from recognizing her as the princess's friend. However, that wasn't the real truth. Natsu wasn't concerned with the rival Boss's men when it came to her. He was sure that their only objective was to use the princess to settle some personal matter. Lucy wasn't in danger because of that mafia Boss. No, it was Gold Pistol's men of whom he was wary. Juvia's threat still lingered over Lucy's head, and Natsu wasn't going to take any chances of one of Gold Pistol's men making that threat a reality.

He took a moment to catch his breath when he saw it: tufts of brown hair poking out of a trashcan. He pulled out a brown wig from the rubbish. Bits of trash were entangled in the locks now, but there was no mistaking it. It was Lucy's.

"Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit." Natsu swore under his breath as he tossed the wig back into the trash. This wasn't good. If Lucy didn't have her disguise on, then any random member of Gold Pistol's men could spot her. Juvia had given the order to have Lucy killed in the initial meeting. The Italian Mafia now viewed Lucy as an obstacle to her happiness. No doubt the goons present during that whole fiasco spread the word of the unfulfilled order. Even though the Italian Mafia was all bronze, they knew how to wait. The moment Natsu was away, they would pounce. It was okay since she was disguised, but now the wolves could hunt. It would be a race to see who could get to Lucy first.

"Damn it!" He growled as he continued on searching, running faster. Digging his phone out of his pocket as he ran, Natsu dialed a number quickly. On the fourth ring, the person finally picked up.

"Salamander! It's so good of you to call. I was wondering when I might hear from you. I take it you're calling because you found my treasure?"

"Call them off," Natsu demanded. "Call them off now, Gold Pistol, or so help me-"

"Whatever are you talking about Salamander?" the Italian Mafia Boss asked.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about." He ran across another bridge, heading to parts of the city Lucy and him had visited earlier in the week. "Your goons are after Lucy ever since Juvia told them to kill her." The memory of the men leaping over the desk and pinning Lucy down flashed in his mind as he continued searching. The knife plunging towards her heart. He had been there to stop it. To protect her. Now, would he be able to make it in time? "Juvia never told them to stop trying to kill my partner, did she?"

"Hmmm." There was a long pause on the other end of the line. He heard the _tap tap tap_ as Gold Pistol drummed his finger on a desk. "Now that you mention it, I don't think my niece did."

"So stop them," he snarled. Standing in the middle of Saint Mark's Square, Natsu scanned the crowds. He spun around and around, so many faces, but none of them hers.

"You and I both know if Juvia gives an order, there's nothing I can do to stop it. If you want them to stop, you'll need Juvia to command them," Gold Pistol responded, a little irritated to admit his niece's true power over the Italian Mafia.

"Put her on the phone then. I'll-"

"I'm afraid I can't do that either. You see, my niece has stepped out for a bit."

"What?" Natsu shouted. People stopped and stared at Natsu, others scurried away from him, as if feeling the murderous rage pooling off of him, but he didn't care. There was so much rage; it was beating against his bones. He wanted to climb through the phone and beat the Italian Boss to make him stop his men.

"How interesting." Gold Pistol perked up, ceasing his tapping fingers. "I've never heard you act like this. The arrogant and terrifying Salamander freaking out over a mere girl. I never pinned you as a romantic, but—" The Boss laughed, and the sound scraped against Natsu's ears. "Oh, this is gold. Pure gold. Does she even know the truth about who you are? Oh, wait," Gold Pistol paused to cackle some more. "No, of course she doesn't. If she did, she wouldn't let you anywhere near her. This is almost like Romeo and Juliet."

Natsu ground his teeth together. His hand trembled and gripped the phone tighter, pressing it hard against his ear. His free hand curled and uncurled into a fist as he moved away from the crowded square and stalked down another street.

"Oh, Romeo," Gold Pistol sighed. "Don't tell me you let your lovely, smart-mouthed Juliet run around Italy without you? Given that there is a death order on her head...Well, I don't want to be the one tell you how to do your job, but was that really wise?"

"If you can't stop your men, tell me where she is. I'll put an end to this myself."

"I'm afraid I can't do that either."

"Gold Pistol," Natsu snapped.

"Calm down, Salamander. None of my men have informed me they have your Juliet. That is—not yet anyway. But if she is running around Italy without you, it won't be long before she's really captured. The only way to ensure her safety is to locate the treasure my dear niece wants. Look at this as another incentive to find that boy." Natsu's grip on his phone slacked.

"I don't need to tell you what I'll do if anything happens to her," Natsu spoke, exerting such effort to keep his voice measured—a faux level of calm etched into his words.

"I wonder, Salamander, who will be first?" Gold Pistol snickered. "My men finding your Juliet, or you finding the treasure? What a shame it would be if our modern day Romeo and Juliet ended as another tragedy."

"I'm not going to forget this, Gold Pistol."

"You better hurry now. You know how hungry my wolves can be." The call ended, Gold Pistol's cackle ringing in Natsu's ears.

"DAMN!" His fist slammed into the brick wall beside him. The stone cracked, and dust sprayed out, his blood smearing as he dragged his hand away. When it came to finding Gray, Gold Pistol's men were hopeless. The princess was being held captive by another mafia Boss who knew how their Underworld worked. Lucy was just a girl from New York. She lived a sheltered life and had no clue how to defend herself. She was easy prey for the Italian wolves. The sun was setting now. He could hear the chimes of St. Mark's Clocktower marking the hour. The lamplights flickered to life. Natsu had promised Lucy he would get her—and the princess— back to New York safely. There was no way he was going to break his promise. _They haven't found her yet. There's still time. I can still find her._ Regardless, even as he thought this, Natsu's chest tightened.

* * *

It had been hours. Yet, there was still no sign of Lucy. Natsu exited the elevator, walking to their honeymoon suite slowly. It was his last hope. If she wasn't here, then….He didn't want to finish that thought. Where else would she be? Thinking about it now, it seemed silly. He should have checked here first, instead of running around Venice like a crazy person.

He had overreacted. Ichiya's warning, and Gold Pistol, had gotten under his skin. He needed to calm down. Gold Pistol's men didn't find her. Lucy was fine. She would be pouting in the hotel room, and he would apologize for whatever he did that upset her. He stopped outside of their door, the key inside the lock. All he had to do was open the door, and she would be there—flipping her blonde hair, glaring with her brown eyes, and saying some sarcastic remark with her sharp tongue. Lucy would be there, and he would know she was safe. Opening the door, he flipped the lights on and looked around the room.

Empty.

The door closed behind him, and he leaned against it for support. This wasn't supposed to be what he saw. She was supposed to be here. He had looked everywhere and this was the last place she could be. Should be. The room, however, was empty of her, except for her pink duffle bag. This was all wrong. Something was terribly wrong, and the feeling that he had felt back in the café made his whole chest ache.

His phone began to ring violently, and Natsu snatched it from his pocket. His thoughts immediately went to Lucy. She was calling him to let him know she got another hotel room or that she was lost and needed him to help her or just calling him to yell at him. He didn't care what it was as long as he knew she was safe. But the number that flashed on the phone wasn't Lucy's. The hope that rose fell again. She couldn't be calling him. Her phone didn't work overseas. He cursed himself for not giving her a temporary phone. He didn't think she would need it since he wasn't going to let her out of his sight….

"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid." He banged his head against the door in time with his words. He had been careless. Now, his carelessness had gotten him in this situation where Lucy was missing with Gold Pistol's men after her, and he had no way of reaching her.

The angry ringing of his phone pulled him from his thoughts. The number that flashed didn't belong to Lucy's phone but to the burner he had given Toby.

"This better be—" Natsu started off, but Toby rushed out two words that stopped him. He hadn't heard him correctly. There had to be some mistake. His blood rushed to his ears, and he shook his head. "What did you just say?" he asked slowly, finding it hard to speak.

"Lucy Heartfilia," Toby repeated. "That's the name of the second person the Boss was looking for."

His heart dropped. The blood rushing in his ears roared louder, and he jammed the phone hard against his ear to listen to the rest of Toby's words.

"Sherry…I mean, one of the members of the Boss's crew just sent out a message, bragging that she picked up a Lucy Heartfilia today. Apparently, that's who they've been searching for all this time. The Boss is calling everyone back to Venice, so he can reveal the next part of his plan. I'll be heading there tomorrow." Toby spoke quickly, his voice shaking at times. "Now that I told you, we're good right? I filled my side of the promise so—"

"No," Natsu said, the phone trembling in his hand. He pushed off from the door and crossed the room. How could he have missed it? He never thought the rival Boss would ever try and target Lucy. This all revolved around the princess, Gold Pistol, and Juvia. And he still didn't know where the hell this Boss was even hiding in the city.

"No," he said again, one hand on the sheer curtains, tugging them close. "Toby, you're going to come to Venice—tonight." Natsu glanced at his watch. "You'll need to run to catch the train, but you should be able to make it. I'll send you an address, and I want you to meet me there."

"A train? Ooonnn…are you serious? This late at night? It'll be a miracle if I can make it to the station in time," Toby whined.

"Toby. That wasn't a request. If I don't see you tonight, then I promise I'll make it so that no one will ever see you again." He ended the call and quickly sent the address over to him before pocketing his phone.

Natsu had been so concerned with Gold Pistol's men after Lucy, he hadn't even considered the rival Boss might come after her as well. Ichiya's warning echoed in his head, and the secrets of her friend's past burned against his chest. He dug out the flash drive in his shirt pocket, feeling the weight of the answers it possessed. He unzipped his duffle bag and placed it in a secure pocket. Looking around the room, he gathered their things and stuffed them in the respective bags, before placing both of their duffle bags by the front door.

"No need for them to get damaged," he said as he turned and faced the unsuspecting room.

Natsu was angry. No, that wasn't right. He was angry after talking with Gold Pistol. Now that he knew the rival Boss had Lucy, he was whatever emotion surpassed anger. All he could see was black. There was a white hot emotion pulsing in his blood, and he couldn't contain it. He needed to think clearly, but all his thoughts were centered around that thing flaring in his veins.

"You fucking idiot," he chastised himself, unleashing a string of verbal abuses. "You let those damn wolves sneak in and snatch whatever they wanted." He cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders to loosen some of the tension. "Now those beasts have their filthy paws all over her." _Was she scared? Did they hurt her?_ His fingers curled and uncurled themselves into tight fists. "Damn it!"

 _I have to save Lucy_. _I will save her. And I'll make all of them pay._

"I promise."

It was roaring in his head now. That emotion needed to be let out. Natsu couldn't hold it away anymore. Flipping the light switch, he cast the room into darkness and let that emotion burn.

* * *

"You were booked for another week, are you sure you want to leave so soon, sir?" The front desk clerk took Natsu's key as he punched in the close-out information.

"Some unfinished business came up that I need to take care of," Natsu simply said.

"Well, I hope you enjoyed your time with us. The honeymoon suite you booked is one of our most popular rooms. I hope everything was to your and your wife's liking."

"Indeed it was. My wife and I greatly enjoyed it." Reaching into his wallet, Natsu pulled out a blank check and signed it. "Here you are. I think this should cover it."

"Oh, sir, you've already paid for the room. All we needed was your key." The clerk pushed the blank check back to Natsu.

"No, this is for the damages." He slid the check back across the counter.

"D-damages?" The clerk's smile faltered, eyeing the cuts and dried blood on Natsu's knuckles.

"Yeah, write whatever amount on there that will satisfy the cost." He pocketed his wallet as he motioned towards the check.

"Um..sir, we'll need you to fill out some forms, and I need to get my m-manager to discuss the proper-"

"This business of mine is urgent, so I can't stick around for that. The number under my reservation will get you in touch with my accountant, and she'll be able to handle all of that paperwork stuff. She even could get you in contact with some good contractors I know. They'll be able to get the room looking like it was in no time." Natsu grabbed the two duffle bags at his feet and smiled at the clerk, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Well, see yah."

Weaving in and out of the streets, Natsu entered a red, painted building located on the corner of the Grand Canal. He climbed the steps to the third floor and stopped outside a room labeled 2C. He reached into his duffle bag and pulled out the set of keys he used to open Cana's house in Rome. Selecting a small silver one, he fit it into the lock and opened the door. Italy was Cana's playground. She had apartments and houses all across the country. Some she bought herself; others were presents from their dads, so she would have a place to crash when she would spend all night drinking. One would think parents would not help their daughter's drinking excursions, but their parent's were anything but typical.

The apartment was small but comfortable. The living room, kitchen, and dining room made up one large room. A bedroom, bathroom, and storage closet hid behind their own separate doors. He could have selected this as their base when Lucy and he first came to Venice, but he wanted to take full advantage of their charade.

Natsu entered the apartment and kept the lights off. He set the duffle bags on the couch and extracted his laptop and Ichiya's flash drive from his bag. Plopping down on the couch as well, he booted up the machine and stuck the flash drive into the USB port. A file labeled "Princess Perfume" popped up on the screen. Moving the cursor over the file, Natsu clicked it, opening it up.

"What the hell?" Scrolling through the information, Natsu was shocked at what he found. He suspected the princess had secrets but nothing to this degree. For the most part, everything made sense now. He understood why the rival Boss considered this a personal matter. It was more like a personal vendetta to be technical. _Who knew the princess kept secrets like this?_

Natsu could feel his anger start to boil again. It was because of these secrets that Lucy was now being held captive by the rival Boss. She was being treated like some pawn in order to get back at the princess. That thought alone made Natsu's fingers curl into fists above the keys.

Initially, his plan was to find Lucy's stupid friend, sneak out of Italy and call it a day. But now, things had become personal for Natsu. His anger wouldn't be satisfied with just foiling the rival Boss's plans. He had made a grave error in taking Lucy. Not to mention, Gold Pistol had crossed him, and there were repercussions for doing that as well.

A hotel room was the first casualty, and it had suffered only a spark of his anger. Though his rage was still demanding more, it curled up in his heart, simmering as it waited to be unleashed. Yes, rescuing Lucy was top priority. After she was safe—and the princess too, even though Natsu wanted to leave him to rot—he would see both mafia Bosses burn. There was a reason why they called him Salamander after all.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:**

Hellooo!

Back at it again with a new chapter! Things are heating up and all the strings are knotting together. I can't wait for you all to read what I've been planning in my head. All of you who support APYJCK have made this such an enjoyable experience. I love reading your comments and seeing your excitement for new chapters. It means so much! I still have a looooong way to go as a writer, but everyone is making the journey such a wonderful adventure.

I will probably only post one chapter this month. I'm traveling to NYC for the first time this Saturday and will be gone for the rest of the month. I'll be too busy exploring the city to have time to write. I'll try, but I'm not making any promises. ;D

This chapter was betaread by **rasclieboobear.** If you want your story in excellent hands, send it over to this user! Your story will be returned promptly, with clear edits, and great feedback! Thanks again! :)

* * *

A bolt slid away, and the lock in the iron and wood door of his prison cell clicked as a key turned inside of it. The noise alerted Gray into a sitting position. Glancing at the patch of sky, visible from the small portal at the top of the wall opposite from the door, gave him a slight indication of the current time. The near full moon was positioned high in the sky, pouring in a single beam of moonlight through the portal—the only light that pierced the darkness of his cell. It had to be around midnight. The guards had already given him his meal for the night, and it was far from the time for his morning meal to arrive. There was no other reason for them to be visiting him. The last time the guards visited him at an unscheduled hour, they put a black cloth bag over his head before shoving him into a large trunk. After some rough travel, he was thrown in this new prison and locked up without a word of explanation. Gray had a feeling something was about to happen again.

 _Are they moving me to another prison?_ he thought, flicking his eyes to the door as it swung open, and two masked guards rushed in.

The light from the hallway hit his eyes, temporarily blinding him. They grabbed him by his arms, dragging his dirty and reeking body from his spot in the corner towards the manacles dangling from one of the walls. The guards made quick work of encasing both his wrists in heavy iron cuffs that bit viciously into his skin before exiting the room, slamming the door shut. The cell was cast back into near darkness, allowing his eyes to readjust. Gray listened for the turn of the key or for the iron bolt to slide back into place, but those sounds never came.

 _They didn't lock the door?_ He stared at the closed door for a moment, making sure the guards weren't about to return before testing his restraints. The manacles were old and covered in rust. Though he was chained, the length of metal links allowed for him to take a few steps away from the wall. He turned and examined where the metal was imbedded in the pale stone on either side of him. He pulled on the chains, but found that they still held firm.

 _No wonder they didn't bother with the door_.

Gray swore under his breath, before running a hand through his matted black hair. The chains clinked together as he moved, disturbing the usually silent space. He was more upset over the added discomfort the shackles now provided instead of their added security. Even if he could manage to get out of his manacles, Gray wouldn't have tried to escape. It would be a fruitless endeavor.

For starters, Gray didn't even have a clue as to where he was. He didn't even know if he was still in Italy or even in Europe. For what little he knew, he could be in some prison located on an island in the middle of the ocean. He suspected he had to be by some body of water. When they transferred him to this new cell, he could have sworn he had felt waves rocking around him. However, without any visual clues, he couldn't confirm his suspicions.

It was hard to gather any type of information from his surroundings. In his first prison, it felt like he was trapped underground. He had no means of tracking the days except for the three meals he received, so time stretched on unmercifully long. It was a nightmare he never wanted to experience again; that alone had almost made him go mad. Thankfully, a benefit of his new cell was the sliver of sky he could see from the portal, allowing him to gaze at something other than darkness or dirty walls.

Besides trying to figure out where he was taken to, Gray couldn't even learn why he was taken in the first place. No one spoke to him. The guards that brought his meals or cleared away his waste bucket never responded to any of his taunts or questions, and every person he encountered wore an elaborate mask that completely concealed the face. Gray didn't know how much longer he could last like this.

Footsteps echoed down the hall, interrupting his thoughts. Gray tilted his ear towards the sound, listening as the footsteps proceeded to grow louder—closer. He could immediately tell that the footsteps didn't belong to any of the guards that rotated standing watch in front of his door. Unlike the sluggish shuffle he grew accustomed to hearing, these steps made up a gait that was sure and steady, each step ringing with purpose and power. Even though his cell didn't allow him to see anything except for the dirty pale stones that made up the walls, thanks to the moonlight pouring in, Gray knew someone important was coming to visit him.

The steps stopped outside his door. He could hear muffled voices but couldn't make out any of the words. He heard the pair of guards march from the door, their steps receding in the distance.

 _What's going on?_

The door swung open, the light from the hall momentarily blinding him again. Gray heard the door shut as he blinked the spots away from his sight. Once his eyes readjusted to the darkness, Gray beheld his newest visitor. The masked man strode to where the moonlight pooled on the cell floor. It was almost as if he had waited for Gray's eyesight to readjust just so Gray could watch him walk. The man carried himself like a king about to hold court.

With the light shining on him, Gray could see the man was dressed in a fitted black suit, and his mask was actually a helmet that resembled a skull of a horned monster—a demon. It covered the upper portion of the man's face, even hiding the man's eyes behind black slits. His mouth and nose, however, were visible, and a row of sharp teeth framed the bottom of the helmet. A strange spiral motif was scrawled across the upper portion of the helmet, and a plume of purple fur fell down his back.

If the man's appearance wasn't intimidating, the aura he was giving off was disquieting enough. Although he hadn't spoken, and his eyes were hidden, Gray could feel the man staring at him with a strange intensity. Waves of cold bloodlust radiated off the stranger, making Gray take half a step back from him. There was something about the man that made him tense. From his demeanor alone, Gray could tell that this man was the reason he had been rotting away in prisons for who knows how long.

"So am I correct in assuming you're the reason why everyone around here is wearing those silly masks? Is this some fan club of mine or something?" Gray spoke in order to interrupt the growing silence that was making him quite uncomfortable.

"I see two weeks in near seclusion has kept you lively," the man responded.

 _Two weeks!_ Straining to keep his features neutral, Gray leaned against the wall, crossing his arms to disguise his shock. He hadn't realized only that short amount of time had passed. It had felt like months.

"Look. If you wanted an autograph, all you had to do was ask. I appreciate the enthusiasm to meet me. It's touching—really it is, but," Gray held up his hands and gestured around the area, his chains rattling with his movements. "was this all really necessary?"

"An autograph?" The man smirked. "Tell me, why would I want something like that?"

"You're not some crazed art enthusiast who wanted to meet me?" Gray blinked. With no information to go on, that was the only guess he could come up with as to why he was being held prisoner. It was a little extreme, but some people really liked art.

"Oh, that's right." The man snapped his fingers, his voice lifting as if he just remembered who Gray was. Reaching into his suit jacket, the man pulled out a piece of paper and began to read. " _Gray Fullbuster—an American artist originating from New York. His main medium is oil paints which he uses to create vivid and life-like depictions of people and breathtaking scenic views. Discovered after a rich investor saw his rendition of the book cover "Hide the Stars," Fullbuster has been heralded as a painter that creates depth and emotion in his works unlike any other artist_ …Sounds impressive." The man crumpled up the piece of paper before letting it fall to the ground. "That is…if any of it were true."

Gray uncrossed his arms and straightened from the wall. "What did you just say?"

"Gray Fullbuster doesn't deserve any of that praise; he didn't paint anything." The man kicked the crumpled paper into one of the dark corners of the cell.

It wasn't arrogance that made Gray so upset at the man's accusation. He was used to dealing with critics. It was the man's false claim that Gray didn't create the art he slaved over that angered him. Gray had talent—that was undeniable. However, someone once told him that raw talent would never be enough. Discipline was needed in order to cross the threshold into greatness—to give his talent a form that the world could see and enjoy. All he had was his art; everything he did was for it. Art was the foundation he built his life on.

"Don't look so cross," the man continued. "I'm not denying _your_ abilities. We both know that Gray Fullbuster doesn't really exist."

His body stilled. A phantom breeze sent a shiver down his spine as the man smirked. Gray didn't try to hide his shock this time as he stared at the masked man.

"You know, I was quite surprised when I found out that you were still alive. All these years I thought you were dead. But look," The man gestured at Gray. "here you are—unfortunately still alive and breathing."

The helmet hid any identifiable features as Gray strained his eyes to capture some detail that might give away the man's identity. _There's no way that…_

"But I was able to find a silver lining to the unexpected news of your resurrection—one that allows me to obtain something I thought I was robbed of by your supposed death all those years ago. Now, I can finally have my revenge against you." A cloud drifted over the moon, momentarily plunging the cell into complete darkness before it lazily drifted past. The man shook his head and laughed dryly. "You know it's almost comical looking at the whole scheme of things. I remembered back then you were so pursuant on your own revenge that you wouldn't listen to anyone. I thought you had gone mad, but now I finally understand how you felt. The need for revenge is intoxicating. Exhilarating! No wonder you couldn't let this feeling go. In planning my revenge against you, I've never felt more alive."

"I hate to break this to you, but whoever you are, you got the wrong guy. I don't know what you're talking about." Gray tried to mask his movements as he tested the hold of his manacles. Everything inside of him was screaming to get away. The cold bloodlust rolling off the man was freezing the blood in Gray's own veins. He didn't like where this conversation was going. He needed to escape. Now. He didn't care if he found out he was on an island; he would rather brave the ocean than listen to this man talk. The masked man was hinting at things that he shouldn't know—things no one should know.

"Don't you dare pretend to be innocent," the man snapped. "You can't hide your sins in front of me, Sterling."

Gray's whole body froze. "How?" he asked quietly. "How do you know that name?"

The man scoffed. "I know more than just your real name, Sterling Surge. I know your father was the one who taught you how to paint, but it was your mother who made you fall in love with art. Did you forget about them when you created this new life for yourself?"

"Who are you?" Gray demanded as memories flashed behind his eyes. All at once, he remembered his father working in his studio—how his brow would furrow in concentration, but his eyes were always alight with joy. In another memory, his mother was smiling as she wiped paint off Gray's face. Flashes of more memories he buried deep within himself continued to run through his mind. He hadn't forgotten them. He just didn't want to remember them. Remembering them meant remembering the pain associated with them.

"Silver and Mika Surge. I wonder what your parents would say if they could see what their only son did with their sacrifice."

"You don't know what the hell you're talking about!" Gray growled through clenched teeth. "I-"

"You failed to avenge them," the man cut in. "Their murderers are still out there while you've been prancing around, pretending to be someone you're not." Gray's breath hitched. The man's words punched him in the gut, waves of guilt washing over him. Images of his dead parents filled his mind—bodies strewn in the street. White snow fell, turning crimson as it touched the ground. His mother's blood dripped from his hands, her final words echoing in his head…

"Stop! You know nothing about them. About me." Gray hated how raw his voice sounded. He couldn't keep the pain from his words. He couldn't hide how much the man's words were affecting him. This man, whoever he was, was digging up ghosts Gray had long since buried. He had given up on his revenge for a reason. He had buried it right alongside all those ghosts—ghosts that should remain buried.

"You're right, Sterling. I don't know who it is you've become." The masked man's hands shook as he spoke. "I never thought my побратим, my blood brother, could forget about his parents and what they've sacrificed for him. I never thought he was capable of forgetting everything—everyone."

The man turned his back to Gray as if the sight of Gray was too much to bear at that moment. Gray's mind raced. He had never told a single soul about the things that haunted him, not even Lucy. There was only one person in the world who could know all this information—only one person who he thought of as a побратим.

"It is you. It has to be." The man's shoulders twitched when Gray spoke. He turned back towards Gray, reached up, and removed his helmet. "Lyon."

Lyon smirked at Gray, his spiky, bluish-silver hair seemed more silver in the moonlight. The dark irises of his slanted eyes were hard as he stared at Gray. It had been eight years since the last time they'd seen each other—eight long years since that tragic day. Gray stared at Lyon and understood then. If Lyon was the one who had kidnapped him, then Gray finally knew why he was here. All the anger, frustration, and pain seeped from his body, pooling at his feet. His whole body slacked. The time had come—the time to pay for his sin. It also explained why no one had talked to him all this time. There was no point in speaking to a dead man.

"I see you haven't completely forgotten everyone. I'm touched," Lyon acknowledged.

"I haven't forgotten a thing," Gray said, staring back into Lyon's eyes. "I remember your promise eight years ago. Kill me. I deserve to die for what I've done. Take your revenge, Lyon."

Lyon's voice went dark and cold. "You deserve more than death after what you did to Ur."

Ur, the name of his sin—the name of the woman he killed. The mention of her silenced Gray.

"You do remember her, don't you? Or did you toss her memory aside, too, when you became Gray Fullbuster?"

"I-I could never forget her," Gray replied quietly. _Ur._ The image of her haunted his dreams and every waking moment. The guilt he carried over what he did weighed on him with every breath he took. It had been eight years, but not even time could dull away the pain the memory of her brought.

"After the deaths of our parents, she took us in. Ur, one of the most feared mafia Bosses in Russia, tossed aside her title and faked her own death just so she could raise a couple of eight-year-old brats," Lyon said. "She didn't just raise us, though; she trained us too. She knew what kind of emotional scar witnessing our parents deaths would leave on us. Ur transformed that pain into a tool we could use. From dawn 'til dusk, she taught us how to protect ourselves and others. Those ten years we spent together in that cabin in the middle of nowhere were some of the happiest years in my life. It was intense, but she was right there beside us, encouraging us to continue—to move on. But you couldn't do that could you?

"You kept obsessing over your revenge. You wanted to kill all those responsible for murdering our parents. I didn't blame you for feeling like that. I wanted revenge too but not at the cost of sacrificing the second chance at happiness our parents gave us by giving up their lives. All you thought of was your pain—your suffering. You didn't care if the world burned around you as long as you had your justice. Ur saw it. Ur knew the blood lust you were swimming in. Why do you think she made you paint? Why do you think she forced you to sit in that studio for hours, not letting you come out until you painted your frustrations away? Ur knew what painting had meant to you—how it still meant something to you. She wanted you to cling onto that memory of your parents and make you realize that although they were gone, they were still with you. That was the kind of woman you shot down."

Gray remembered long days spent staring at a blank canvas. He could hear Ur and Lyon moving about the cabin, laughing and working together while he was forced to sit and stare at nothing. He was angry—so angry all the time. He hated painting; he never wanted to see another stupid painting in his life. After all, it was a painting that caused his parents to die.

Gray's parents owned a small art store, and his father gave painting lessons on the side. Lyon's parents owned an antique shop next door to them. Their parents were already friends, and Gray and Lyon grew up together. Gray's father, Silver, discovered a painting in a nearby town when he went to go and buy more art supplies. He gave it to Lyon's father to have it appraised.

The Russian Mafia's main line of income came from the Black Market. One of the mafia gangs heard about the rare painting Silver had found and tried to purchase the painting for themselves. Even though the sum of money they offered was astronomical, Silver and Lyon's father knew that the painting was priceless. Ur was the Boss of this faction and personally came to oversee price negotiations. However, Silver had decided to donate the painting to a museum, so that everyone might enjoy the work of art.

Another mafia faction heard about the painting Ur's faction was trying to acquire. They attacked Ur in the middle of her negotiations with Silver and Lyon's father. Their Boss had ordered them to leave no survivors. Mika and Lyon's mother shielded their sons with their bodies before Ur's faction could dispose of the rival gang members. Gray had never seen so much blood in his life; everything was red.

He kept replaying that scene over and over again in his head when he sat in the studio. His body would shake with rage. The life he knew was wiped out, covered over in red. At first, he would refuse to paint; he had sworn off art. However, Ur was as stubborn as Gray—even more so, actually. His anger would get the best of him, and Gray would throw black or red paint over the canvas just so he could leave the suffocating space.

After months of producing nothing but splattered paintings, one day, as he threw red paint onto the canvas, he saw it. He didn't know if it was the angle or how the paint had landed, but he saw a scene opening up before him. Gripping his brush, he moved the paint around, adding more colors to it in order to bring to the surface the image he was seeing. The roaring rage in his heart quieted as he painted. He no longer saw his parent's dead bodies—his father's covered in blood and snow, and his mother's covered in blood and paint. He didn't see white or red or black but the multitude of colors his parents taught him to see the world was made of. When he set down his brush, Ur was there. She said nothing as he wept. It was as if she knew no words were needed.

After that, Gray threw himself into Ur's training. He wouldn't let his trauma break him. Those roaring emotions would not drown him. He realized something that day; he had survived the attack for a reason. Enduring the tough training meant he would get stronger, so nothing could be taken from him—not even his revenge.

"Eight years ago, I let you go that day out of respect for the time we spent with Ur. Although, I promised you the next time I saw you, I would kill you. I should have killed you that day—something I long regretted. Two years after that day, I received word that you were dead. I went back to her grave—the grave you put her in—and told Ur she could now rest in peace since her murderer was rotting in hell. I also swore that I would surpass her—that I would take her teachings and become one of the greatest mafia Bosses in the Russian Mafia history. I would become strong for her, doing whatever it took so scum like you couldn't take it away."

"You're—"

"That's right, Sterling," Lyon smirked. "I became one of the three lords of the Russian Underworld, Sub-Zero Emperor."

Lyon's eyes blazed. In a flash, he had Gray pinned against the wall. Cold steel pressed against Gray's forehead as Lyon released the safety of the gun he held. Gray never resisted, though. He knew this day would come; he had hoped it would come. For eight years, he had carried this sin, and it was only fitting that Lyon would be the one to end his life—to provide his punishment.

"It would be so easy to pull the trigger and end your miserable excuse of a life," Lyon whispered harshly. "If we were in the same situation eight years ago, I would have done it, too. One shot. Bam! You're dead." Lyon trailed the gun down the side of Gray's face before stepping away from him and replacing the safety. "But what would be the point of that?"

"What?" Gray's brow furrowed as Lyon stepped back into the moonlight.

"Like I said, there's no point right now. All my years of hatred and need for revenge would be over in a flash."

"I said to kill me! Take your revenge y—"

"I will kill you, Sterling; don't you have any doubts about that." Lyon tucked the gun back into his suit, where a hidden holster was located.

"Why not kill me now? It's been eight years. Don't you think you've waited long enough? Why draw it out any longer?"

"Because you want me to kill you." He bent down and picked up the helmet he had dropped a moment ago, holding it at his side. "You want to die. You want to be released from that sin you carry. There's no fun in killing someone that wants to die. Killing you now would only be doing you a favor. And I owe you no favors."

"I've been wanting to die all this time, but I remembered you promised me you would be the one to make me answer for that day—for my sin. Keeping me locked in here is not going to change how I feel. No matter how much time passes, I still want to die. Do it now. Take your revenge."

"I knew you would say that." As the night wore on, the beam of moonlight gradually started to disappear from the cell as the moon slowly continued its nightly passage across the sky. Lyon hadn't been there long, but Gray had felt as if years had past; he wanted Lyon to finish this. "Do you want to know why I've kept you locked away in dungeons these past two weeks?"

"To torment me?" Gray guessed.

"Though your discomfort in this place does provide some satisfaction, I was actually waiting on my guest of honor to arrive."

"Guest of honor? For what?"

"I'm holding a grand festival to celebrate my revenge—to celebrate your death." Lyon spread his arms wide. "It's going to be a glorious affair. I've invited many of our old friends to attend—some of them dying to see your death as much as I am. However, I had to wait for one final person to arrive."

"So you're turning my death into a spectacle?" Gray leaned against the wall behind him again. "Do whatever you want. I don't care how I die as long as you're the one that kills me." It was the truth; he didn't care. He didn't care about any of it. He was going to die. Lyon had made that crystal clear. Why should he care how Lyon killed him? The end result would be the same.

Lyon reached back into his suit jacket. Gray thought he was pulling out his gun again—that he understood Gray's resolve to die and get it over with, but instead of a gun, Lyon pulled out a small piece of paper. Somehow, that seemed worse.

"No, not your death," he replied.

"Lyon…" Gray's body was rigid. "This guest of honor—who is it?"

"Was it a love rejection which led you to set your sights on Juvia?"

"How do you know Juvia?" Gray noted how Lyon's voice softened at the mention of Juvia, but he couldn't shake his focus on that piece of paper in Lyon's grasp.

 _There's no way he would…_

"My connection with Juvia is none of your concern," Lyon snapped. "I'm going to make sure that you won't be able to hurt her. She won't suffer a betrayal from you. After I tell her the truth about you, she'll definitely thank me."

How Lyon talked made Gray assume that this guest of honor he referred to wasn't Juvia. A sense of relief flooded through Gray but only briefly. Lyon was hinting at something—someone. If he was going to get his revenge on Gray then he would need to…

"She's would've made a nice catch," Lyon continued, staring at the paper in his hand. "It's a pity you never advanced your relationship after all those years. I wonder, was it out of guilt for what you did? Or were you immediately stuck in the friend zone? Smart girl if the latter was the case."

"Lyon." Gray's teeth ground together. "Who is it?" His heart beat rapidly, sweat dripping down his back despite the cool of the night.

"Well…not smart enough if she chose to be friends with you."

"Tell me," Gray growled.

"You see, Sterling, killing you just wouldn't be enough. I want you to suffer first. I want you to break the same way I was broken. You need to feel the same way I did that day—that day eight years ago when you took away someone I cared about right in front of me."

Gray took a step towards Lyon. "You can't mean—" _Don't say it. Don't say that name. Please, don't say that name_.

"Tomorrow night my celebration will be held. At the height of the party, that's when it will happen—that's when I'll break you. I'm going to make you watch as I take her life, and you'll be unable to do anything about it." The piece paper fluttered to the ground, and Gray's eyes strained in the darkness to view it.

"No." His word was a strangled cry as he saw the face staring back at him. Her long blonde hair framed her face, and her brown eyes were smiling at him from the floor. "L-Lucy?"

"Yes! Lucy Heartfilia—my guest of honor. Her death is the catalyst for my revenge." Lyon stepped on Lucy's picture, grinding it into the ground. "I need her to die—for you to feel the pain of losing her before I kill you."

"LYON!" Gray roared, his chains going taunt as he strained against them in an effort to reach him. "Don't you dare touch her! She has nothing to do with this. Your revenge is against me. Kill me, damnit!"

"The only problem I have with killing your friend is deciding how to do it? There's just so many ways to kill someone." The moonlight was almost gone from the cell, casting Lyon half in light and half in darkness. Lyon stood there, watching Gray—a wicked grin on his face. "Should I allow my men to have some fun with her first before I carve up her pretty face? Should I poison her and make you watch as she writhes in pain? What about throwing her from the building and making you see her splattered body?" Lyon laughed, his face growing more sinister. "Or should I just shoot her down like you did Ur? "

"I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you, you hear me?!" Gray snarled as he pulled against his restraints, the chains rattling in protest. "If you so much as touch her, I'll rip you to pieces."

If Gray didn't have those damn manacles on his wrists, he would have done it too. _Lucy. Not Lucy._ She was his best friend. It was because of her that he was able to obtain a few happy memories in his new life. He never forgot about his past; he always knew one day he would answer for his sin, but Lucy's friendship gave him a small bit of light to look at before that day came. There was no way he was going to drag her into this. He wouldn't be the cause of her death. He wouldn't allow her to die.

"That's a nice look in your eyes. That's what I need to see. And when I kill her, just imagine how you'll look at me then. I can't wait." Lyon placed his skull helmet back on his head and stepped out of the last sliver of moonlight to stand mere inches from Gray.

"LYON!" Gray cursed at him violently as he kicked and thrashed, pulling with all his might on his chains, but they still would not budge. The moonlight was gone from the room, everything was darkness. He heard Lyon's sure and steady steps move slowly towards the door, each step ringing in Gray's ears. The door flung open, and the light flashed in Gray's eyes.

"Stop! Lyon! STOP!" He needed to get free. He had to save her. He didn't want anymore blood on his hands. She didn't deserve to die—not her.

"Don't worry, Sterling. I'll tell her you said hello," Lyon said as he departed, the door slamming shut. Gray heard Lyon's laughter echoing in the space as he walked away. The sound of it grated against Gray's ears.

"DON'T HURT HER. COME BACK YOU BASTARD! I'LL KILL YOU DAMN IT! I'LL MAKE YOU PAY! LET ME OUT OF HERE! LYON!" Gray roared. The manacles bit viciously into his skin, blood swelling up and dripping down his arms. He didn't feel the pain; all he could feel was anger. His friend was in trouble, and he was trapped in here. If he had known this would happen, then he would have made an escape long ago. Now, Lucy was in danger, and he needed to save her.

"LUCY! LUCY! LUUUUUCCCYYYY!"

Gray cursed and roared and thrashed about. He would break his arms if he had to—if it meant he would be free of those damn shackles. As if knowing his intent, the door swung open, and two guards stepped in. His rage was dulling his senses and he didn't even hear them return. A sharp pain filled his head before he collapsed to the ground, still muttering Lucy's name.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:** Thank you for your patience! I hope everyone has been well. New York was so amazing. I can't wait to go back and explore the city more. It was fantastic. I hope you enjoy this chapter. As always, let me know what you think.

This chapter was beta read by: **Zaravarine** (AO3 username). Thank you for helping me! I really appreciate that you were able to step in for my other beta. You're simply amazing!

* * *

Lucy slowly opened her eyes to a dark room. Her mind felt like it was trapped in a fog, and she felt like her eyelids had weights pressing down on them. She rose from the bed on which she was lying and pressed a hand to her forehead; the room spinning into focus. Even though the room was dark, she could still make out some of its features: along one wall, a vanity table and a tall wardrobe stood, her bed occupied another wall and a small writing desk was nestled under the single curtained window. It was a small room with only one door, but from the look of the furnishings and what felt like silk sheets on the bed, it was extravagantly decorated.

"Where am I?" Lucy whispered to the empty room, trying to remember how she got there. The fogginess in her mind was slowly dissipating as she searched her memory for clues. Her last memories were of a girl glaring at her before everything went dark.

 _The girl…Do I know her?_ The memory of the girl's face was blurry, but one feature stood out. _Pink. Her hair was pink like…_

"Natsu." The fog was blown away, and everything came rushing back to her. She had left the café to go search for Natsu and found him, but he wasn't alone. There was a girl with him, but it wasn't the one with pink hair. No, that girl had golden blonde hair. Lucy's heart squeezed as she remembered the moment—the kiss. She pushed past that memory, not wanting to relive it again. She had ran and then she was lost in Venice, crying alone on a bridge with anger and sadness swirling in her heart and jumbled memories in her head.

The pink-haired girl had found her there, and the next thing Lucy knew, she woke up in this room. But it felt as though there was something Lucy was forgetting, something that she needed to remember. It kept tugging at the edge of her memories like it was an important clue to solving where she was and who that pink haired girl was.

 _"For love, we mustn't tarry. My dear Boss has waited long enough."_ The pink haired girl's last words rang in Lucy's mind and she went still.

 _Boss._ The girl was working for the mafia. If Gold Pistol was the "Boss" the girl was referring to, why was he looking for her? It had just been a few days since that awful night when this wretched treasure hunt began. He knew she was with Natsu looking for Gray. Unless the "Boss" she was referring to wasn't Gold Pistol, but the true power behind the Italian Mafia. The person who had ordered her wolves to kill Lucy the first time they had met; the person who was haunting her dreams at night.

Scrambling off the bed, Lucy threw back the curtains and gawked as she saw the windows were boarded up from the outside. Her heart pounding wildly, she ran to the door, her fingers desperately reaching to twist the knob. Locked. Panic was rising within her as she kept twisting the handle and pulling hard on the door but it wouldn't budge. She was trapped.

"No," Lucy gasped as she backed away from the door. All she could see was the hatred glittering in Juvia's eyes and the knife plunging down to claim Lucy's life. Lucy didn't want to die, especially not by Juvia's hands.

The lock on the door clicked and Lucy's heart stuttered. They were here. They were coming for her and then she would be dead. Looking around the room, there was no means for escape. Nowhere to go, nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. She gulped and tried to bully her tears to keep them from falling, but a few slipped down her cheeks as the door opened.

A masked figure entered into the room and flicked a light switch she hadn't noticed by the door. Lucy's eyes widened at the plain nondescript mask the person wore. It was silver and covered the entire face. The eye slits were covered in black fabric, blocking the person's eyes from view. She noticed the person was also carrying a large brown bag.

"Get dressed," a male voice ordered from behind the mask, "When you're done dressing, knock on the door three times and I'll escort you to the Boss."

"Wait. Please you have to help—" The masked man turned and left the room, shutting and locking the door behind him and cutting Lucy's words off. She thought if she could speak with the man, reason with him, maybe he would take pity on her and help her escape. After all, Juvia wanted to kill her just because Lucy was friends with Gray. What kind of reason was that to die?

" _Still, Italy's Underworld sees it as its duty to protect Juvia and will do whatever it takes to make sure her happiness is assured. If Juvia wanted to, she could order the men to kill Gold Pistol and assume the title of Boss, and no one would think twice about it._ " The memory of Natsu's words echoed in Lucy's mind.

The masked man wouldn't listen to her. She couldn't convince him to help her. Natsu had said the people loyal to Juvia would kill Gold Pistol without out a second thought if she ordered them to. If they were ordered to kill Lucy, a woman Juvia believed was trying to steal away the man she loved, her goons wouldn't hesitate for a second if it would make Juvia happy.

How did things turn out like this? All this time Juvia's wolves had been hunting her and she didn't even know. All she wanted to do was find her friend and save him. Natsu had been right though. She wasn't prepared to handle the wolves of the mafia. Trapped and powerless, there seemed to be but one fate left to her. Lucy had failed to save Gray and now she was going to die. Lucy should be crying, or crawling into the wardrobe or wedging herself under the bed, and losing herself to hysterics. Her death might be moments away, but she just stood there looking at the brown bag.

She believed Natsu would find Gray, but only to get the treasure he loved, and then he could play around with the blonde from earlier. Juvia would win and have Gray in her clutches. Lucy's heart trembled a little at the thought of her best friend in the hands of the mafia once again. He would be her only regret. She wanted to save him, but she was powerless, unable to do a thing. Lucy just hoped that one day, he would find a way to escape.

The man had left the bag on the floor by the door. Suspecting rags or some other humiliating garment, Lucy picked up the bag and dumped the contents on the bed, furrowing her brow at what came out instead. Picking up the first item, she held it up to her and looked at her reflection in the vanity mirror.

It was a gorgeous white, sheath cocktail dress that stopped a few inches above her knees. The sleeves and collar of the dress were made entirely out of lace with exquisite silver beading accenting the lacework while the rest of the dress was pure white. Silver heels that perfectly matched the beading on the dress also tumbled out of the bag. Frilly lingerie that would make Virgo proud were the last pieces to fall out.

"What's with this outfit?" This didn't look like an outfit someone was killed in. She shivered as she stripped and then dressed herself. Did Juvia have some twisted plan of torture in store for her? Like it or not, Lucy was going to find out. Her hair was a mess, and there wasn't a brush or a comb in sight. She tried finger-combing her hair to tame her blonde locks, but stopped herself. If she truly was about to die, then death wouldn't care whether or not her hair was a mess.

Knocking three times on the door like she was instructed to do, Lucy waited for her escort. The door opened and the masked figure appeared.

"What's that for?" Lucy eyed the black fabric in his hand.

"No questions. Turn around." He barked and Lucy quietly obeyed. The man stepped towards her and covered her eyes with the cloth, tying it around her head. _A blindfold_. "Come." He tugged on her arm, as he led her out of the room and into the space beyond.

The only noises she could hear were the click click clicks of her heels and the man's breathing behind his mask. He led her down long hallways, turning right and left as they walked to her execution. When Lucy thought he was going to walk her to death, the man finally stopped. She heard him knock on a door before turning a handle and ushering her into a room. The blindfold was removed and Lucy blinked as she took in the space.

Saying the room was grand, magnificent, or even extraordinary felt wrong. Those descriptions were too weak and couldn't do the massive space any justice. The room was a testament to centuries of master craftsmen and artisans pouring their passion and artistic labor into creating the space. All four walls of the room and the gold gilded ceiling were covered in hand painted portraits, depicting famous rulers, religious scenes, and historical moments. Her eyes darted all around the room in an attempt to absorb every detail that went into creating such an awe-inspiring room. She realized it would probably take as many centuries to see and appreciate all that the room had to offer as it had taken to create it.

 _This place. But how? Why am I here?_

Lucy kept looking up, turning around as she swept her gaze over the portraits above her. There was so many and they were all so breathtaking. Her gaze flew down from the ceiling and she stopped. Having been caught up in the moment, she hadn't realized she wasn't alone. At the end of the long room, a group of masked men and women stared at her.

 _Mafia wolves_.

They were all wearing the plain silver masks that her escort was wearing. Her gaze travelled over all of them, trying to pick out Juvia from the pack, but she couldn't tell from the distance if she was one of the figures staring at her. Her escort came up behind her and gave her a nudge, indicating for her to approach.

Her footsteps echoed on the tan marble floor as she walked forward. The panic inside of her kept rising as she came closer. If Juvia didn't kill her herself, then one of the masked figures might be her executioner.

 _I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die_. She chanted to herself as she frantically thought of a way to escape. What could she do that could stop the inevitable from happening? What could she say? Was this really her fate? Lucy couldn't accept it. Wouldn't accept that this was the end. There had to be something she could do. But what?

With her impending doom looming over her, the magnificence of the room took on a darker glamor. Lucy threw her gaze to the ceiling once more, trying to find the answers she sought there; but only blank faces stared back at her. The blank faces of dead men. All they knew now was death, and their blank faces seemed to say, soon she would know it too.

Her eyes fell down from the ceiling, but she couldn't look at the masked people either. Her gaze moved past them and up the raised dark wooden platform behind them, fixating on the masked figure seated on a throne. Lucy stopped.

How had she not noticed him before? She focused solely on the masked individual on the gilded chair. Even with the mask on, she could feel the person's gaze sweep over her. Lucy was suddenly conscious of the tight fitting cocktail dress she was wearing. The man slowly raised a hand from his armrest, and beckoned to her. As if pulled by an unknown force, her feet started to move across the marble floor again. Reaching the outer line of the group, the mafia wolves parted for Lucy so she could stand just before the bottom step of the platform.

The masked figure rose and from this distance, Lucy could tell he wasn't wearing a mask, but a helmet in the shape of a horned demon with only his nose and mouth visible. A plume of purple fur fell down his back. Up close it was terrifying to look at, so she descended her gaze to look at his clothes instead. He was wearing a fitted black suit that outlined his lean, but muscular frame. Even though it was just a plain suit, she could tell it was expensive from the tailored features and sleek material it was made out of. The man stood on the platform looking down on her, the very picture of power and wealth. Realizing he had to be one of Juvia's top wolves, Lucy swallowed hard.

"You know your roles and I expect nothing but perfection for tomorrow night. You're all dismissed."

The voice was male and rang with authority as the masked group bowed slightly and began to depart. Lucy heard the figures walk away. It seemed none of them would be the one to kill her. If it wasn't Juvia, then it had to be the man in the horned helmet. That was something she was sure of. Lucy might have been relieved at the realization that she only had to contend with one of Juvia's wolves. However, the man before her exuded such lethalness she didn't believe she stood a chance against him.

While departing, one of the masked figures bumped into Lucy—hard, making her believe it wasn't an accident. Turning to the person, she found a familiar pair of angry blue eyes glaring at her behind a raised mask.

"Sherry." The man on the platform spoke, her name became a warning. Sherry turned to the man and bowed deeply.

"My apologizes. For love, I tripped." Lucy was shocked to see the anger in Sherry's eyes quickly melt away into what looked like pure admiration at the man.

"Leave." Was his only reply, his voice still hard and demanding.

"For love, I do as you command my dear Boss." Sherry straightened and glared once more at Lucy before fixing her mask in place and following the rest of the masked figures out of the room. Lucy watched her go, becoming more confused about the turn of events.

The girl—Sherry—was the one who had kidnapped Lucy and brought her here. She had said it was for her Boss, but Lucy believed it was Juvia she was referring to. However, Sherry just addressed this masked man as her Boss.

 _Who is he? Why hasn't Juvia shown up yet? What's going on?_ Lucy thought trying to wrap her mind around everything.

Lucy pivoted back around and watched as the masked man descended the steps to stand directly in front of her. He stood on the last step, towering over her as he looked down. He took her hand in his and bent slightly to plant a soft kiss on it. She wanted to rip her hand away, but she was frozen.

"Hello, Lucy Heartfilia." Her name sounded strange when he said it, the words echoing in the cavernous space. "I cannot express to you just how happy I am that you could join me here. I've been waiting to meet you."

"Me? Why?" Her voice sounded small and meek, exactly how she was feeling—exactly how he wanted her feel.

He straightened and stepped down from the final step, tucking her hand into the crook of his elbow as he began to lead her around the room. "Because you're the guest of honor. I couldn't possibly start my party without you, now could I? "

"Guest of honor? Party? You're not making any sense. Who are you and why did you bring me here?" Lucy's panic was starting to bubble back up. The man's words, though delivered as light and joyous, were edged with something cold.

"So many questions and all I wanted to do was see how lovely you would look in the dress I prepared for you. And you didn't disappoint." She could feel his gaze sweep over her frame again, making her spine shiver. "Yes. You'll do perfectly as my guest of honor for tomorrow's party."

With the helmet on, she couldn't tell who the man was. There wasn't a single identifying feature about him. He wanted her to be his guest of honor, but why? Did she know him? Had she met him before? No, something about him felt wrong. There was something dark and hard about him. There was nobody in her life now like that. The only people that walked like him were Gold Pistol and Juvia—people with power, with influence. People who had experience manipulating other people's lives for fun and for conquest.

"You're working for Gold Pistol, aren't you?" Lucy blurted out.

The man tipped his head back and laughed. "Me? Work for Gold Pistol? I didn't know you could be so funny," he replied with little humor in his voice. "I work for no one but myself."

"Not even Juvia?" Lucy needed answers. The dread she was feeling kept growing. If he wasn't working for Gold Pistol, then he had to be working for Juvia. But if he wasn't working for her, then who was he? How did he fit into all of this? What did he want with Lucy?

The man stopped their walk around the room. He stared at her for a long moment, the black slits of his helmet bearing into her until she looked away. "And how do you know about the leaders of the Italian Mafia?"

"My best friend is supposedly engaged to one." Lucy let her bitterness at the forced engagement seep into her words.

"Not if I have something to say about that." His words held more bitterness than Lucy's and she noticed how he tightened one hand into a fist. Lucy understood why she was so upset about Juvia's engagement to Gray, but why was he? None of her questions were being answered and the longer she stood there, the more questions she kept forming.

"Let's talk about more pleasant things," he continued on, picking back up their walk. "Now that all my guests have gathered, I'll hold my party in this very room. I've been planning it for weeks and this space will come alive with everything in place. It's perfect."

Looking around the room, indeed the space was grand. Any event held here would be a spectacle unlike any other. The amount of people this place could hold, coupled with the decadence around them would result in something magical. But there was no way this man could have his party here. It shouldn't be possible. Unless….

' _I work for no one but myself_.' Lucy replayed his words again in her mind.

Her eyes went wide as Lucy remembered there was one more Boss she hadn't thought of. Thoughts were clicking together in Lucy's mind as she asked, "This party you're holding tomorrow…It's the same one you sent your people out to buy supplies from all the local vendors isn't it?"

Sherry hadn't brought her here for Gold Pistol or Juvia. When Sherry had kidnapped Lucy, she wasn't working for the Italian Mafia. The wolves that had dragged her into their den were the same wolves Natsu and Lucy had been hunting for the past few days. The masked man leading her around the impressive area was the one who began this horrible nightmare. The man responsible for turning her world upside down.

Lucy tore her hand from his grasp and took several steps away from him. "You're the rival Boss," she gasped.

All the orders put in place at the local vendors hinted at a grand affair. Natsu had suspected the rival Boss would hold the event in an equally grand venue. She knew where she was. Lucy knew the second her blindfold had been removed. She had come here just the other day with Natsu and the thousands of other tourists that ventured in and out of these centuries old halls. Lucy was standing in the middle of the Sala del Maggior Consiglio, The Great Council Hall located in the Palazzo Ducale, The Doge's Palace.

It was all making sense now. The amount of food, entertainment, and supplies the rival Boss ordered would need to be presented in a large venue and one of the most famous rooms in The Doge's Palace would certainly provide the dramatic flare Natsu had indicated was this particular Boss's style. Lucy suspected the rival Boss used some underhanded and illegal maneuvering in order to use the space for his private use. There was no way an ordinary person could ever rent out this piece of history for himself. It was unheard of. Just what limits did the mafia have?

"Rival? To whom? Gold Pistol? As if that brute could ever be on the same level as me," he scoffed. "But aren't you a clever young thing?"

"What have you done with Gray? Where is he?" Lucy steeled her heart as she demanded the rival Boss to start talking. It wasn't too late. There was still time to save Gray.

The rival Boss's visible features faltered, his lips pressed together in a hard line. A wave of cold blood lust rolled off of him at the mention of her friend. Lucy backed away further, but forced herself to stay put. This man had the answers she had been seeking so desperately. She wouldn't back down.

"I see you care a great deal for him. Your friend must mean a lot to you." He recovered his features and gave her an attempt at a sweet smile.

There was something about the rival Boss's tone; the venom laced in his words that unnerved Lucy. He reacted with such hatred at the mention of Gray's name, that she couldn't understand why. Gray was just an artist. What could Gray have done to make this man loathe him so much? How did Gray even know the rival Boss in the first place? And did this truly have something to do with the sin Gray hinted about in his past?

Even if she were to find all the answers to those questions, she didn't care. Gray would still be Gray. He would still be her best friend. And she would still do whatever she had to do save him. "Of course I care about Gray. He's very important to me. Now tell me! Where is he?!"

"Curious kitten, aren't we," the Boss wagged his finger at her. "Curiosity killed the cat, don't you know?" he chided, and chuckled softly. His words sent shivers down her spine. Her heart kept pounding and her brain kept telling her to run as fast and as far as she could away from him. This man was dangerous. Yet, she had to fight—fight to save her friend.

"I'm curious though. Would you still say that if you knew the truth about him?" the rival Boss asked.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You said you care for him. You said he's important to you. But would you still say that knowing who he truly is? Would you still care about him if you knew the sins he's committed? About the blood on his hands? Would you still claim so fiercely that that murderer is important to you?"

Her heart faltered for a moment. _Murderer? What was he talking about? Gray? Gray couldn't be a killer. He wasn't a murderer. He was an artist. His hands were capable of creating so many beautiful things. Gray wasn't capable of doing that. He couldn't be capable of something like that_.

"You're lying," she shot back, but her voice shook. "I know Gray. He wouldn't kill anyone." The rival Boss smirked and shook his head slightly and closed the distance between them. Lucy couldn't move as he slowly caressed her face.

"You know nothing," his words were so cold and harsh, she started trembling in fear. "Beautiful, intelligent, kind, but I think I admire your loyalty the most, Lucy Heartfilia. It's such a shame that you decided to befriend such a monster though. He's filled your head with so many lies, that you can't even see the truth." The man tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, his fingers trailing the line of her jaw until he reached her chin. With subtle force, he tilted her chin up to him. "It's truly a shame, but you'll die knowing nothing as well."

Her eyes widened to saucers. _Die?_

"For nearly a decade I've been waiting for this day. The day I can get my revenge on the monster I have locked in the dungeons below. I thought such an opportunity was lost, but fate chose to smile down on me. I planned it all, watching as the pieces gathered together for my revenge, but there was always something missing. The final piece I needed to ensure that your friend met the cruelest of ends. I sent my best people out to hunt it down. Imagine my delight when Sherry finally found it crying all alone on a bridge and delivered it to me. When she brought you here, Lucy Heartfilia."

' _It seems your friend isn't the only person this other boss is after. He's looking for someone else as well…I don't think the person the rival Boss is looking for is connected to Juvia. I think the person is somehow connected to the princess._ ' She had thought, Natsu meant Gray's distant past. Lucy never once suspected that the rival Boss would be searching for her.

"And you, my guest of honor, should feel privileged since your death is going to help me achieve my revenge."

Lucy wanted to escape, but her legs wouldn't move. Her brain kept shouting, screaming at her to run. Run. RUN. But she was frozen in place, staring into the bottomless pits of the skulled demon mask he wore. She couldn't look away. She couldn't do anything, but listen as he directed that cold blood lust towards her.

"I'll tell you this—the monster you befriended took someone very important away from me. Now I'm going to return the favor. I'm going to kill you in front of him and make him experience the same pain I felt that day before I end his pathetic life too. Tomorrow night's grand spectacle? It is your death, Lucy Heartfilia."

She was so cold, numb inside and out. His words had encased her in ice, paralyzing her. The rival Boss stepped away from Lucy and she collapsed to the cold ground, shivering in fear. He snapped his fingers and another masked figure entered the room.

"Escort Miss Heartfilia back to her room. She is not to be let out except for use of the facilities. If she requires anything to make her last day as comfortable as possible, bring it to her. If it is within reason, that is," the rival Boss commanded his subordinate.

Lucy vaguely made out the man's words, but she didn't resist as her escort pulled her from the ground. As she was shuffled out of the room, the rival Boss raised his hand, causing her escort to pause at the door. She heard those sure and powerful steps move across the room towards her once more.

"Now now," he tilted her chin to him again, forcing her to stare back into those black pits. "Don't look like that my dear. You should be delighted. In your last 24 hours, take solace in the fact that your death will be as beautiful and tragic as you are."

—-

Her escort had deposited her back in her room hours ago. When Lucy figured Juvia was going to kill her, she thought that was it. Gray would still have a chance to survive. Yet, not only was she going to die, the rival Boss was going to use her death in order to hurt Gray. All she wanted to do was save Gray, but now, everything was being turned around.

Lucy sat in her dark room, staring without seeing anything as she sat on the floor. When the rival Boss spoke to her, all his words were icy daggers sent straight into her heart. She was going to die. He was going to kill Gray. There was no time. This was it. She curled in on herself, wrapping her arms tightly around her knees to hold herself together.

' _In the Underworld, there are no heroes out there to save you if you get caught off guard. There are only mad wolves who want to sink their teeth in you and devour you before you can even scream_.'

Natsu had warned her. He told her this would happen if she went running around in the Mafia's Underworld. Was that also his way of telling her he wouldn't come rescue her if she got caught? Why would he anyway? There would be no gain for him. She couldn't offer him treasure like Gold Pistol or Juvia. They were barely even friends. Natsu had made himself clear. Lucy was on her own.

Gold Pistol, Juvia, the rival Boss, all of them juggled around people's lives like they were mere toys. They thought they had the right to decide a person's life and death based on what best suited their own interests. Gold Pistol treated Gray like an object he could buy for a price. Juvia treated Gray like a possession and showed how she would kill anyone who threatened to come close to Gray in any way. The rival Boss wanted to use Lucy to hurt Gray in a horrific way. They weren't wolves. All of them were monsters.

Lucy had lived a life where she was treated like a doll, passed around and told what to do and what to say and what to wear. She escaped that life and built this new one for herself. Letting the mafia do whatever it wanted with her meant throwing away the past five years of her life and running back to how she used to be. Was she just going to curl up in herself again? Was she just going to let Gold Pistol, Juvia and the rival Boss do whatever they wanted? Was Lucy just going to lie here and cry until she was killed? Until Gray was killed? She had worked so hard and had come so far. This was her life. She wouldn't become that doll again. She escaped that life once before, and she would escape it again.

Standing, Lucy stood in front of the vanity mirror. The girl reflected in the mirror looked exactly like her old self. Her eyes looked vacant, her skin paler, and her hair dulled. The girl looked defeated and fading into a ghost. Lucy had promised to save Gray. She promised she wouldn't hand him over to the mafia. The obstacles in her way, the fear inside of her, those were just excuses. This wasn't the time for giving up. Lucy gathered fistfuls of the fabric of her dress and tore.

"I promise I'll save Gray, I promise we'll escape these monsters, and I promise we'll survive," Lucy ripped the dress into ribbons with every promise she made. One day was all she had to escape her room, rescue Gray and get the hell away from the mafia. It was daunting, all alone in the mafia's den, but it was something she would do. The obstacles would be surmounted. The fear inside of her would be suppressed. Her promises would not be broken. Looking back in the mirror, there was hope sparkling in her eyes. Lucy grinned. "And I always keep my promises."


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:** Guys! You have no idea how long I've wanted to write this chapter. I hope you enjoy it! I'm trying not to give away any spoilers, but the next few chapters are AHHH. I can't wait for you guys to read them. Please let me know your thoughts. I appreciate your patience with me. Since we're getting around the holidays, I might not have time to write as much and my betas are also busy with life, so chapters might be a little slow getting out. Have patience with me! It'll definitely be worth it. Much love!

This chapter was beta read by: **Zaravarine** (AO3 username). Thank you for helping me! I really appreciate that you were able to step in for my other beta. You're simply amazing!

* * *

The next morning, the shredded dress had already been removed by the time Lucy woke up. A neat pile of clothes was placed on the writing desk. Shivering, Lucy quickly dressed herself in the plain white dress and slippers provided for her. Her modesty had recovered from the night before, but her determination to not give up was still unwavering. The door opened just as she finished situating the clothes on her person and a masked man entered the room. Lucy couldn't tell if he was her usual escort, since the masks everyone wore were all the same.

"Breakfast," he announced, crossing the room and setting a tray of fruit, pastries, coffee and juice on the writing desk. The voice and clipped sentence indicated that the guard was the same one as before. He turned back and stood by the closed door. _Isn't he going to leave_? She thought as she stared at him. As if sensing her question, the man folded his arms across his chest. "In case you choke."

Lucy looked at him incredulously. _I'll stay here to stop you from killing yourself is what he means._ The rival Boss was having her watched so she wouldn't commit suicide. No wonder this room was nearly empty. He didn't want his grand spectacle to be ruined before the party tonight. The rival Boss was afraid she would rob him of the honor. Anger flared up inside of her. Killing herself meant she was giving up, submitting to the idea that there were no other options left to her. As long as she still breathed, she wasn't giving up. The rival Boss hadn't won yet.

"I'm not going to take my own life," she muttered as she picked up a melon slice and bit into it. If the rival Boss was so afraid that Lucy would kill herself, she guessed he wouldn't poison her food. She managed to eat most of the fruit and two pastries. She needed the strength for the plans she had for today. Once she was finished, the guard took the tray away and locked her in the room again.

Lucy paced the small space trying to figure out how to put her plans into action. The rival Boss had slipped up yesterday. After Lucy had a moment to process through her fear, she realized he had provided her with some very crucial information.

' _For nearly a decade I've been waiting for this day. The day I can get my revenge on the monster I have locked in the dungeons below.'_

Gray was here. He was being kept somewhere in the prisons that ran the length of the palace. _Had Gray been kept there all this time?_ If that was the case, she had been so close to him but hadn't even known it, which meant that Gray was being kept in one of the prison rooms that was not a part of the tour and accessible to the public. That information narrowed his location down a bit, but still left hundreds of prison cells to choose from. When she escaped, she would only have a small window of time to find Gray and flee the palace with him. The rival Boss was clever and would be on high alert to make sure that his plans for revenge were not ruined. There wasn't much room for error. In order to do anything though, Lucy needed to get out of this room.

Knocking on the door of her room, she waited. After a moment, the lock clicked open and the guard cracked the door.

"What?" He asked gruffly.

"I need to use the restroom," she declared.

The guard stared at her for a moment before sighing. He produced the length of black fabric he had used to blindfold her before, motioning for Lucy to turn around.

"Is that really necessary?" she asked, eyeing the blindfold in his hand. If her eyes were covered, she couldn't get a good layout of the area. Even though she had toured The Doge's Palace before, she was being kept in an area not accessible on any of the tours. She needed to see if she could spy a way to get to the dungeons or a least, find a familiar area and work her way from there. Yet, her masked guard didn't say anything and waited for Lucy to comply. Aggravated, Lucy let herself be blindfolded once again and led out of the room. _What is it with the mafia and blindfolding people?_

The guard led her around, and she suspected he purposefully guided her in different directions to confuse her. She heard a door open and close behind them. The blindfold was removed and she noted she was in a small bathroom. Quickly scanning the room for some sort of escape or clue to her whereabouts or weapon to use, Lucy, to her dismay, found none.

"Make it quick," her guard barked.

"You don't intend on staying in here do you?"

"In case you slipped." Even though she couldn't see his facial features, she could hear the smugness in his voice which greatly irritated her.

"You can't be serious." She stared at him, mortified. His lack of response was answer enough.

"I didn't know being a pervert was a qualification for being in the mafia," she glared. The guard bristled and breathed heavily out of his nose, but he mercifully turned around.

Still mortified, she quickly took care of business and washed her hands. The guard blindfolded her again and led her back to her room using the same twisting and turning route to confuse her. Back in her room, Lucy muttered a few curses she had heard Natsu spout when he was frustrated. This was getting her nowhere. She was only allowed out to use the facilities and the rival Boss seemed to have instructed her guard to keep her ignorant of the layout. How was she supposed to escape now? Sighing heavily, she plopped on her bed and tried to think of a new strategy.

The rival Boss was on high alert. He had less than 24 hours until his long awaited revenge was fulfilled. It seemed like he wasn't going to take any chances. Yet, after meeting him yesterday, besides being cold, terrifying, and monstrous, he also seemed arrogant. How he mocked Gray and flaunted his plans for her death, he was confident that he had taken every precaution to succeed and nothing could go wrong.

 _Maybe I can use his arrogance against him_ …. Lucy sat up, struck with a sudden idea. It would be a gamble, and her time to execute her plan would be barely non-existent, but it could work. It had to work. Just in case though… Lucy knocked on the door again. It took a moment for her guard to respond, but he didn't say anything when he opened the door just stared at her.

"Since you're so afraid that I'm going to kill myself, you might provide me some entertainment, otherwise I'm going to die of boredom," she exaggerated, flipping her blonde locks. The guard just stared at her some more before replying gruffly.

"What do you want?"

"A pen, paper, and envelopes," Lucy requested.

The guard responded by shutting the door again and locking her in. _Well, isn't he pleasant. He acts like he's the one that has a death threat over him_.

It felt like hours, but her guard finally returned, carrying a tray with lunch prepared on it. Next to the food were the stationery supplies she had asked for.

"Let me guess," she rolled her eyes when he sat the tray down on the writing desk. "You're going to stay in here to make sure I'm not going to choke or give myself a papercut. Right?"

The guard just snorted as he took his post by the door. It was fine. She had suspected this anyway. Lucy sat down at the desk and ate her sandwich and fruit quickly. Pushing the empty dishes to the side she caressed the stack of blank pages before sliding the top leaf away from the rest. She picked up the pen, shifting its weight as she pinched it between her fingers and began to write, letting the hours pass her by as she lost herself to her writing.

She was nearing the end of her final letter when the door burst open. Her guard had remained silent the whole time, quietly watching her work. He didn't say anything when she took breaks to use the facilities as he guided her blinded self to and from. When the door burst open, he turned around startled, slipping into a defensive position.

"You're dismissed." A familiar voice filled the room. Lucy turned around as her guard left without a word and saw Sherry standing in the doorway dressed in a magnificent ball gown. The bodice was made entirely out of black lace with a high neckline and shoulder length sleeves. The fabric clung to her curvaceous frame, the lace details darkening around her bosom in order to hide her chest. The skirt flared out at her waist, in an explosion of black satin and tulle that gave the impression her skirts were made of black wispy smoke. Her arms were covered by elbow length black gloves made out of satin. Her usual pink hair was covered by a black wig that was done up and had tendrils of black jewels woven throughout. Peeking out behind either side of her shoulders were midnight-colored feathers. As she turned, Lucy could see Sherry wore an exquisite pair of wings, the tips ending just below her waist. The overall effect turned Sherry into a beautiful dark creature—an angel of death.

Sherry entered the room, setting down a large black box on the bed, smugly noting Lucy's wide eyed stare. "For love, I brought you the dress my dear Boss prepared for you for tonight's party."

Lucy didn't say anything as she stood and walked to the bed. She could feel Sherry watching her as Lucy undid the the black ribbon and opened the box. Staring up at her, on top of a pile of fabric, was a white mask. The mask was not a full faced mask like all of the rival Boss's wolves were wearing, but covered only the upper half of her face. It was light in her hands, despite the ornamentation on it. A white rose was situated near the right eye of the mask, with three short strands of pearls dangling from it. Setting the mask aside, Lucy pulled out the other contents of the box. Laying them out on the bed, Lucy noted her theme.

"It's lovely, isn't it? It's like something out of a dream or a fairy tale," Sherry sighed dramatically as she ran a gloved finger over the fabric of Lucy's dress. "Except, your prince is a monster locked away in a dungeon, and you, princess," Sherry turned her blue eyes towards Lucy, her voice hard and menacing, "are all alone with no one to rescue you. No happily ever afters except for the one my dear Boss will finally receive when he kills you."

Lucy looked at the clothes on the bed and then at the glaring girl beside her. Sherry had been the one to find Lucy and bring her here. Her dark costume was appropriate for the role she had played ushering in these events. Especially now, as she delivered the final reminder what Lucy was to the rival Boss. Sherry was his angel of death, delivering Lucy to the one who would kill her; and now, she had brought Lucy her death garment.

Everything, from the mask, to the dress, and the accessories, was all pure white. She realized now why all the clothes the rival Boss prepared for her were similar. They were constant reminders that he viewed her as one thing and one thing only. To him, Lucy was merely a lamb for slaughter in order to get the revenge he so desperately craved. She was the sacrifice.

Though Lucy was terrified by Sherry's words, something deep inside of her held back the fear, keeping it from drowning her. She would fight, kicking and screaming, she would face these wolves and survive.

"I'll give you 30 minutes to dress yourself and then, for love, I'll bring you to my dear Boss. I'm going to enjoy watching him stain this dress red." Sherry narrowed her eyes, before slipping on a mask Lucy didn't realize she was carrying. It was black, with a pink heart glittering on the lower corner of her left eye. The eye sockets were covered with black fabric that blocked her eyes from view. It covered her face, except for her lips and chin. With the mask in place, Sherry looked truly frightening.

"You know, Sherry," Lucy called after the girl as Sherry's black skirts rustled towards the door. The girl paused and looked back at Lucy as she stood in the doorway. "Stories don't always turn out the way you're expecting them to. They have a way of surprising you in the end," Lucy said, matching Sherry's glare with one of her own. Sherry slammed and locked the door in response.

Lucy picked up the mask she was supposed to wear and collapsed on the bed. Looking between the mask and the letters she had spent all day writing, Lucy just hoped that the words she spoke to Sherry were true.

It took her nearly the whole 30 minutes to dress herself in the costume prepared for her. She took a moment and stared at her reflection in the vanity mirror when she was done. Her dress was stunning, but extremely risqué. The dress was one piece, but looked like there were two layers to it. The first layer of the dress was skin tight stopping to rest midway up her thigh and covered in white appliqués strategically placed to hide her assets for mock modesty. It was styled as a halter dress, leaving her back and arms exposed. Around the top of the neck ran three small strings of pearls. The skirt made up the second layer of the dress. It was made out of white chiffon that fell in flowy waves down her legs and pooled at her feet. A long slit ran up the entirety of the left side of the skirt which looked like it was being held up by a belt made out of two strands of tiny pearls that wrapped around slightly above her waist. She adjusted the wig that covered her blonde hair with long white locks that curled slightly at the ends, before putting on the mask. There were no shoes for the costume, so Lucy stood barefoot. The overall effect made Lucy look vulnerable, helpless, and weak—a dainty and fragile thing. The rival Boss made her look like the perfect sacrifice.

A knock on the door, and Lucy turned away from the mirror. Her heart hammered in her chest as Sherry reappeared in the doorway. Lucy took a deep shuddering breath in order to calm herself. It was time.

Sherry stood aside and motioned for Lucy to exit the room. As the pair walked down the empty corridors, Lucy noted how the angel of death beside her was unusually quiet. Lucy was expecting her to sneer and jeer the entire time. She also noticed that Sherry hadn't even bothered to blindfold her. _Why bother when this is the last time someone will have to escort me?_ She realized. _They think I'm already dead_.

Shivering slightly, Lucy brushed the thought away. She was glad that the rival Boss was confident. Let him think he's already won. That was what she wanted anyways. Lucy was also glad he had chosen Sherry to be her final escort tonight. It made her new plan a lot more plausible.

 _It's now or never,_ she thought as they rounded a corner.

Lucy pretended to trip on her dress, falling to a knee. She felt Sherry lean over her, about to tug her to her feet, but Lucy twisted around and sent a quick punch to the girl's gut. Sherry gasped, clutching her stomach as Lucy scrambled to her feet. Not stopping there, Lucy aimed one of her infamous Lucy kicks at Sherry's side. Yet, the girl recovered quickly and dodged her attack before leaping into an attack of her own. Sherry shoved Lucy against the wall with surprising strength. Lucy hadn't expected her to be this strong or to be able to move so nimbly in all that fabric. But Lucy wasn't giving up yet.

Lucy head-butted Sherry, sending a sharp stab of pain throughout her own head, but it worked. Sherry's grip slacked and Lucy took advantage of it and broke free. Once she was free, Lucy started to run down the hall. She couldn't beat Sherry, Lucy realized. She wasn't that strong, but that was never part of the plan. She just needed enough time to get away, so she could find an entrance to the dungeons.

The hallway veered right and Lucy ran down the hallway. She was thankful that her costume provided such mobility. After seeing what the rival Boss expected her to wear and what Sherry was wearing, she knew that she had to take full advantage of this situation. She had a little luck on her side.

She was nearing another turn in the hallway when something knocked into her with such force, it took the breath away from her. Lucy crashed onto the floor, throwing out her hands to help break her fall. Pain throbbed in her left wrist when she landed. She moved it slowly and sighed inwardly with relief that it wasn't broken. Struggling to get up, Lucy couldn't shake whatever was on top of her.

"Stop resisting," a voice hissed in her ear. "I'm trying to help you." Black feathers dipped in and out her vision and Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Yeah right," she said, realizing that Sherry was on top of her. "How is taking me to my execution helping me?"

She heard Sherry swear before Lucy was hauled off the ground and forced into a dark room. Lucy broke free from Sherry the moment the girl shut and locked the door, turning on a lamp nearest to her. Shifting her weight on her feet, Lucy prepared for another attack.

"Will you stop that already?! You're wasting time," Sherry said fumbling to take off her gloves.

"I'm not going to let you take me without a fight," Lucy shot back, holding her fists in front of her.

"You call that fighting?" Sherry asked, tossing aside one of her gloves. "Who head-butts someone anyways?"

"Shut up." Lucy held her fists up higher, which made Sherry's full lips turn down in a pout.

"You can't beat me," she said. Sherry spoke as if she was stating that the sky was blue, as if her words were a fact Lucy should have known. "Did you think because I was girl it made your chances for escape higher? I've trained all my life and can take down a man twice my size. You can't beat me with your cheap shots. You can't outrun me on your shaky legs. You can't-"

"Stop saying what I can't do!" Lucy interrupted. "I'll do whatever I have to do to get away from you and your Boss."

"Well, you can start by taking off that dress," Sherry replied.

"What?" Lucy blinked as Sherry tossed aside another one of her black gloves.

"Your dress." Sherry motioned up and down towards Lucy. "Take it off."

 _What the hell is going on?_ Lucy thought, taking a step back from Sherry. "Why do you want me to take off my dress?"

Sherry sighed loudly, clearly irritated. "I told you I'm trying to help you." When Lucy didn't move, Sherry sighed again. "You're so stubborn," she said and took off her mask and wig.

Lucy eyes bulged out of her head, her heart dropping to her stomach. It wasn't Sherry who stood in front of her, but someone much more fearsome.

"Juvia," she breathed.

Shocked by the sudden appearance of the Italian Mafia's true leader, Lucy stumbled backward. The fear that she was able to hold down shot through her. Not in any of her wildest imaginations did Lucy ever suspect to come face-to-face with her again after realizing who really had kidnapped her. The memory of Juvia's hard blue eyes as she commanded her wolves to kill Lucy, and the dream of Juvia plunging the knife into her chest seized her.

"There's no time to explain," Juvia said as she shrugged off the midnight wings she wore. "We need to switch costumes."

Lucy didn't move. She just stared in horror at the girl. There was no way Juvia was helping her. This had to be some trick. _Was she working with the rival Boss? Was that why she was here? Did she know what he wanted to do to Gray_? So many questions kept forming, but Lucy couldn't ask any. The fear running rabid inside of her was paralyzing.

"Lucy," Juvia pleaded. "We need to hurry."

"W-why?" Lucy stuttered out. "Why are you helping me? Why should I even trust you?"

"I understand why you don't trust me." Juvia paused, shame flickering in her eyes before she shifted her gaze to the floor. "What I did to you was inexcusable, but believe me, I had no choice. Back then, all of it, it was all pretend. It was all just an act."

"You expect me to believe when you commanded your men to kill me, that was all an act?" Lucy scoffed. Her arms were shaking, so she crossed them in front of her to hide her trembling. _You can escape. You can save Gray. You can do this. Pretend you're not afraid. Be brave_.

"Yes," Juvia responded. Lucy still couldn't believe it. It didn't make any sense. Why would Juvia have to pretend? It seemed like she was the most powerful person in Italy. Who did she have to fool?

"When you claimed you were in love with Gray, was that all an act too?" Lucy asked.

"No," Juvia said, lifting her eyes to meet Lucy's glare. "I have faked many things, but I have never faked my feelings for him." The strength of her words, the conviction in her eyes, made Lucy believe Juvia. Juvia loved Gray, she at least was telling the truth about that.

"Did Natsu send you?" Lucy thought back to her dream. _Did Natsu really betray me? Did he find out about this place and contacted Gold Pistol and Juvia? Juvia said she wanted to help me, but there's no reason for her to. This could be a ruse to get me to trust her before she kills me. Natsu could be retrieving Gray right now while I'm distracted dealing with her. He needs to deliver Gray to Gold Pistol if he is to receive the treasure he was promised_.

"Natsu? You mean the Salamander?" Juvia shook her head. "I haven't seen or heard from him since the time my uncle first delivered his request."

 _That could be another lie_. Lucy thought. "So why are you pretending? Why are you acting like a cold and brutal mafia heiress? Who do you have to fool?"

"Please," Juvia looked over her shoulder towards the door. "We really don't have any time for explanations. You have to trust me that I-"

"No," Lucy cut in, shocked at how strong her voice sounded. Juvia flinched from the word. "If I'm going to trust you then I'm going to need some answers. You tried to _kill_ me, remember? You want my trust? Then earn it."

Juvia sighed, and nodded slowly to Lucy's surprise. "It's safer if you don't know who I'm pretending for. It'll take too long and we need to hurry, but I'll answer your other questions, if only to get you to trust me."

"How are you even here right now?" Lucy asked instead.

"I already had a team searching for Gray before my Uncle contacted the Salamander for his services. Whoever took Gray knew about the inner structures of Italy's Underworld. It was hard to track down the person's movements, but I instructed my team to notify me if they heard of anything even slightly peculiar happening. Two days ago, my team reported back to me that they heard an announcement would be made, stating The Palazzo Ducale would be closed to tourists and staff for a short period of time to complete minor restoration work."

"And that information led you here?" Lucy asked unconvinced. "You thought the person who took Gray would be hiding in some place as inconspicuous as The Doge's Palace?"

"The Palazzo Ducale is never closed. Maybe a wing or two, but never the whole palace. Especially for "minor restoration work." That was a red flag for me. I came down here discreetly and discovered the locals were busy preparing massive orders for some wealthy foreigner as well, yet no one knew where the party would be held. I guessed the venue had to be The Palazzo Ducale by then, but I still wasn't completely certain or that it had any connection to the person who kidnapped Gray."

"What convinced you that the person shutting down the palace was the same person who took Gray?"

"There was a girl," Juvia explained. "A girl with pink hair who was grumbling loudly in a café one afternoon. She was complaining to her companion that their Boss had sent them out to retrieve some girl, but she wasn't where she was supposed to be. She kept whining about other things and I was about to tune her out, when I heard her mention Gray's name. It was then that her companion was able to hush her up and they exited the café. I immediately began to follow them of course and found they were staying on one of the islands surrounding the city. I waited until night to slip over there."

 _Their first base was on one of the islands! That's why we couldn't find any trace of Gray or the rival Boss. They weren't even in the city until now_.

"So how did you manage to sneak in? You have to be one of the most recognizable faces in Italy's Underworld. The rival Boss, that's what we've been calling him," Lucy explained seeing Juvia's perplexed face, "would have recognized you right away."

"The masks," Juvia smirked. "Everyone who works for the…rival Boss wears a mask for some reason. I took out one of the lower ranking individuals. Relax, I didn't kill her," Juvia assured, "but pretended to be her until I could gather where they were holding Gray. Not everyone is privileged to the same information under this Boss, so I had to search the area one room at a time. When the rival Boss moved everyone here the other day, it made searching for Gray even more difficult, while trying to remain under their radar. This Boss only wants perfection for this silly party he's having tonight. I thought it was just some useless power display at first, but I feel like there's more to tonight's party than just that. Everyone's been too tense."

 _She doesn't know._ Lucy realized. _The horrible fate that awaits me-that awaits Gray._

"I felt that if I didn't find Gray soon, it would be too late. But then, I saw you were here. You were unconscious, but I was exiting the room when the girl from the cafe brought you here. The same girl I knocked out and stole this costume from. I think her name is Sherry."

"That still doesn't explain why you are helping me," Lucy stated. "You're feeling was right about there being more to this party. You wanted to kill me because I was friends with Gray." Lucy forced herself not to shudder at the memory and noted how Juvia winced at her words. "The rival Boss wants to kill me for the same reason more or less and then kill him." Juvia's eyes widened as Lucy revealed the rival Boss's plan. "So now that you know, why not have him finish the task for you and run off with Gray? Why not go save him, leave me to the rival Boss, and get your happily ever after?"

Juvia gave Lucy a brilliant smile that startled her more than anything. Lucy already thought Juvia was beautiful, but her smile transformed her. She looked like a completely different person. "Contrary to our first meeting, Lucy, I don't want to kill you. You're Gray's best friend. He would feel an unimaginable sadness if something happened to you. I want to do whatever I can to protect Gray's happiness, to protect his smile. My happiness does not matter when it comes to his."

Was this really the same person she had met nearly a week ago? The same person who wanted her dead? Juvia Lockser was standing in front of Lucy, smiling so beautifully and offering to help rescue her. Could Lucy really trust her? Her smile seemed so genuine, the real question was: how could she not?

"Lucy," Juvia took a hesitant step towards her. "We need to switch costumes. With the masks and the wigs, no one will be able to tell the difference. I'll take your place and keep the rival Boss occupied. You'll only have a little while to locate Gray and get both of you to safety. He won't be located in the main wing where the tours are usually held and I suspect he won't be here in this wing, since they kept you here. I'll keep the rival Boss and his wolves occupied as long as I can while you search the areas I couldn't get to. If you're disguised as Sherry, then you will access to every area. Despite her grumblings, she's one of the higher ups in the operation."

"Juvia, the rival Boss wants to kill me to get back at Gray. Once he finds out that you've ruined his revenge, he'll kill you without a second thought." The rival Boss had exuded so much blood lust he would destroy anything or anyone that stopped him from getting his revenge. And here Juvia was, offering to place herself in front of that man in order for Lucy and Gray to escape safely.

"I understand," Juvia replied. "But none of that matters as long as Gray is safe. As long as he can leave this place and still smile. If sacrificing my life ensures his happiness, I will gladly do it a thousand times over."

"If you can say that, then you don't know Gray at all," Lucy said. Juvia's eyes widened in shock. "Gray wouldn't want you to sacrifice yourself for him. He would never ask that of anyone."

"But I-"

"I'll trade costumes with you and rescue Gray. The rival Boss slipped and told me he's being held in the dungeons. If I'm not at the party, then he can't get his revenge. Once Gray's safe though, I'll come back and rescue you."

"Wait," Juvia protested. "That's not the plan. Both of you need to leave, together. If you come back and get hurt, Gray will…he'll…"

Lucy shook her head slowly, removing her mask and wig and smiled. "Don't think so little of yourself, Juvia. Gray would be devastated if something happened to you too."

"He…he would be?" Juvia gasped.

"Yes," Lucy affirmed. "You're risking your life for him. He's not someone who could ignore something as monumental as that and neither can I. I'll believe in you and trust your words. So let's protect Gray's happiness. Together."

Tears sprang down Juvia's cheeks, big, fat crocodile tears that splashed on the ground. "Th-Thank you for saying that."

Quickly stripping the rest of their costumes off, Juvia and Lucy switched outfits. Juvia had been right. It was hard to tell the difference between the two girls with their masks and wigs on. Luckily they were near the same size, despite Juvia being a couple inches taller than her. Juvia drooped her shoulders and hunched a little, like she was deflated and subdued in order to solve that problem. Sherry's dress fit perfectly on Lucy, except the shoes were slightly bigger, but she would manage. The only difference they couldn't switch was their eye color. Sherry's eyes were blue like Juvia's, but Lucy's brown eyes stood out. The rival Boss would definitely know the difference when Juvia took her place. Lucy's old mask didn't block out her eyes like the other masks.

"I'll just keep them downcast the entire time," Juvia indicated, unconcerned. "You'll be escorting me to the Sala del Maggior Consiglio. Once you drop me off, find Gray. Do you know how to get to the dungeons from there?"

"Yeah, I remember." She nodded, remembering the tour she took with Natsu. "When I'm gone, try not to speak a lot. The rival Boss is intimidating and expects you to act like the sacrifice he thinks you are, but only _act_ like a sacrifice. I don't want you to do anything reckless. Promise?"

"I promise." Juvia gave her a soft smile. "You remind me of the Salamander. He makes people promise things a lot." She giggled. "I think he likes you."

 _Natsu._ Lucy shook her head, not wanting to think about him right now. Her focus was on saving Gray and making sure all three of them made it through this night and away from the rival Boss, together.

"He just likes treasure." Lucy muttered, focusing on adjusting her mask.

"Lucy," Juvia paused at the door, looking ethereal in Lucy's dress as she toyed with the chiffon skirt. "When this is all over…do you think…would you possibly…might consider starting over?"

Lucy stared at her, shocked. "Start over?"

Noting Lucy's tone, Juvia began to frantically wave her hands in front of her. "I mean, I wasn't suggesting that you could forgive me so easily. I just thought…but you don't have to, because I understand if after this you wouldn't want anything to do with me. After all, I treated you so horribly and said some awful things. I just thought…."

' _Stories don't always turn out the way you're expecting them to. They have a way of surprising you in the end_.' Hadn't she just spoken those words to Sherry and here Lucy was, experiencing the full truth of them.

Lucy closed the distance between them, her skirts rustling together as she embraced Juvia in a hug. "There's no need to start over," she said as she held her former enemy tighter. "We're already friends."


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** Praise! I finished another chapter and it didn't take forever. Loves, thank you so much for all the amazing feedback. I appreciate every single one of you. I think I say that a lot, but it's true! You guys make this fic worth the hours of planning, writing, and editing. I wish I could write fast enough or that I had all the time in the world to get more chapters out to you all. Thank you all for your continued support!

Now to take some time and give my beta some more mad love.  
This chapter was betaread by **rasclieboobear.** If you want your story in excellent hands, send it over to this user! Your story will be returned promptly, with clear edits, and great feedback! Not to mention, you'll have so much FUN during your editing sessions. Like seriously, it was ridiculous how much I was laughing at all the sass comments. My beta is just AMAZING! I'm super lucky that Ras agreed to join me on this journey.  
 **APYJCK wouldn't be what it is today without you! MUCH LOVE!**

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Sunlight filtered into the cell from the portal high on the stone wall, filling the once dark space with light. Dust particles shimmered in the sun's rays as they floated down from the ceiling and settled on the ground. Rats scurried across the floor in search of crumbs, squeaking pleasantly as they scavenged for their breakfast. However, when the sleeping figure sprawled out in the middle of the cell stirred, the rats disappeared, squeezing into holes along the bottom of the walls.

Pain pounded in his head the moment Gray opened his eyes. Wincing against the pain, Gray moved his body into a sitting position. He rubbed his hand over the lump protruding from the back of his head ― the cause of his massive headache. He paused his inspection of his head injury when he noticed thick bandages wrapped around his wrists, blood spots speckling the white strips. It appeared that Lyon's men had freed him from his restraints and tended to his wounds after they knocked him out. The first aid was rushed by the looks of it but done in such a way that he wouldn't bleed out from the wounds he had received while trying to escape from his chains. The manacles that had restrained him hours earlier dangled from the wall in front of him, his dried blood still staining the rusted iron.

An icy rage shot through Gray's veins. Clenching his hands into fists, Gray glared at the rust-covered chains. If it weren't for those chains, Gray would have beaten Lyon to a bloody pulp after Lyon had revealed his plans to kill Lucy; he wouldn't have let Lyon walk out of this prison conscious. However, bound as he had been, Gray was forced to endure the torment of being powerless ― of being unable to rescue his friend. Lucy was in grave danger, and it was all his fault.

 _So you'll heal me enough to keep me alive, Lyon, until you give me the death you decided for me,_ Gray thought bitterly _. As soon as I get out of here, I'll make sure you—_

Gray paused his thoughts. He had let his anger and desire for revenge consume him once before with dire consequences; he wouldn't make that mistake again. He needed to escape, but his first priority wasn't his revenge against Lyon. No, it was finding Lucy and getting her to safety. To do that, Gray needed to focus on that alone and nothing else. He couldn't let his anger cloud his judgement. With some difficulty, Gray let his rage thaw and unclenched his fists.

Now that he was free of his chains, he needed a plan. Taking note of the light coming from the room and his hunger and thirst, Gray deducted it to be about mid-morning by then. _Good,_ he thought. _There is still time_. He moved about his cell checking to see if there were any imperfections to the design that he could use to his advantage and escape. Finding none, his gaze drifted to the lone portal high in the wall. Gray frowned as he noted it was too high to jump to. Even if he could somehow reach it, there was no way he could fit his body through that opening. The only other option of escape was through the door. Gray swore. Lyon had chosen this cell for a reason. Gray knew Lyon was clever and outmaneuvering him was going to be difficult. Difficult, but not impossible.

 _Think_ , he commanded himself. Replaying the previous few days in his mind, Gray analyzed them for some sort of clue that would help him escape. There had to be a weakness he could exploit. Lyon's guards had visited him three times a day to deliver his meals and collect his waste bucket. The guards had all worn masks and had never spoken to him. One guard had stationed himself by the door while the other had delivered his food. That had been the only time that the door to his cell would open. If Gray could subdue his guards, he could take one of their masks and move about the floors above and search for Lucy undetected. Once he found her, he could simply escort her out of the building and then run like hell.

However, to where would they run after escaping Lyon's clutches? It would take time to secure plane tickets, and Gray didn't know the extent of Lyon's reach or where in the world Lyon had taken him. They could be captured again by the time he was able to figure everything out, and then it would be all over. Gray needed somewhere safe to hide with Lucy once they got away.

Sighing in frustration, Gray ran his hands viciously through his hair. He swore at the pain that shot through his head, having forgotten about his head injury. It was impossible to figure out where they were or where to hide from inside his cell. He would think about that when he found Lucy. Gray would do whatever it took to keep her safe; all that mattered was that she got out of this unscathed. However, he needed to escape first.

A couple of Lyon's guards wouldn't difficult to take out. The guards didn't possess weapons that he remembered seeing, but it was safer to assume that they were armed. Gray had trained under Ur for ten years, and the two years he spent after her death in the Russian mafia had provided him with more training ― however unorthodox it may have been. Even though he wasn't part of the mafia anymore or training with Ur, those previous five years, Gray had continued his old workout routines. Old habits were hard to break, especially if one had had a trainer like Ur.

Taking quick note of his body, Gray examined his injuries. Besides his head injury and the wounds on his wrists, there was a stiffness in his joints, and his muscles ached, especially in his arms. Other than that, he seemed fine. His headache still throbbed, but he tried his best to ignore it. His stomach was empty and his mouth dry from thirst, but those were things out of his control. Bending and stretching, Gray limbered up his body and got his blood pumping. After putting his body through some warm-up exercises, he felt ready to put his plan into action. It wasn't the best plan in the world, and there were so many unknowns to contend with once he would get outside his cell. Nonetheless, it would have to do; there wasn't much time to think of anything else. Gray would just have to keep on his toes as he fought like hell to get Lucy away from Lyon. He wouldn't let Lyon have his revenge, at least not on Lucy.

Footsteps sounded outside his door — the usual shuffled reluctant gait that belonged to his guards. In order to keep the guards from suspecting his newfound eagerness to escape, Gray huddled in the upper left hand corner of the cell — the one furthest from the door. He tried to keep his muscles from looking tense and give off the appearance that he was subdued and defeated. Acting, however, wasn't his art of choice. Gray just hoped that the guards wouldn't look too closely. As Gray huddled in the corner, he turned his head slightly to watch the door. The bolt slid away, and the key turned in the lock. This was it. The door to his cell opened just a crack, and a brown bag was swiftly tossed inside before the door slammed shut.

"No!" Gray yelled, giving up his charade and racing towards the door. He banged on it again and again as the bolt slid back into place and the key locked it shut. "You bastards!" he swore, hearing their footsteps recede. "Let me out!"

It was as if Lyon knew exactly what Gray was planning to do and instructed his guards to act accordingly. Lyon prepared to counter Gray's new resolve to escape and stop his plans from coming to fruition. Gray swore again. He had forgotten just how smart Lyon was.

Hating his body for giving into his hunger and thirst, Gray reached for his meal. He angrily tore open the brown bag that his guards had left him. Inside, there was a hard loaf of bread and a bottle of water. It was probably the only meal he would receive, considering Lyon was planning on killing him that night. Begrudgingly, Gray tore into the bread and reassessed his situation. It seemed the only option for leaving the cell was when Lyon wanted to bring him to Lucy's execution. Lyon wouldn't want to take any chances of ruining his ultimate revenge. The bread turned sour in Gray's mouth at the thought.

Gray tossed the rest of the loaf of bread back into the bag. Unscrewing the cap, he drank half the bottle before deciding to save the rest for later. He paced the floor, trying to think of an alternative. There had to be something Gray could do in order to escape. He felt like a caged animal in that prison. The trapped feeling was causing him to lose his grip on his temper. The walls felt like they were pressing down on him as the minutes ticked by, bringing the hour of Lucy's demise ever closer.

"Damnit," he kicked the door, ignoring the jolt of pain that shot through his leg. "I need to get out of here." It was still morning, but time ticked away. Something could happen, making Lyon change his mind and move Lucy's execution further up. "Damnit. Damnit. Damnit." He struck the door again and again. He wasn't coming up with any answers. Stuck in this cell, he could do nothing to save his friend. "Damnit. Damnit. Damnit. Damn…"

He paused his fruitless assault on the door as the world suddenly spun out of focus. Throwing out his arms, Gray stopped his fall by pressing against the door. Waves of dizziness kept the world spinning around him. A numbness started spreading from his fingers and up his arms. He pushed off from the door and stumbled backwards. His legs began to feel like jelly as he collapsed to his knees.

"What's… What's happening to me?" Gray raised a hand in front of him, but his vision was distorted. His eyelids became heavier too. Why did he feel so drowsy all of a sudden? He had felt fine until… His eyes cut to the brown bag with his half-eaten bread and nearly-empty water bottle.

"Shit," he said as realization dawned on him. All of his symptoms led to one conclusion. Gray had been drugged. His symptoms were the same side effects his targets often exhibited when Gray worked for the Russian mafia. They had used a special kind of drug in order to grab targets without much hassle. His team would sneak the substance into the target's drink or food and wait. It was odorless, tasteless, colorless, and fast-acting, allowing the unassuming victim to feel the effects within minutes. The drug caused people to pass out for several hours, even if they only consumed a small dosage. It provided the mafia plenty of time to grab its target and transport the person to a secured location without any obstacles. If someone consumed a large enough dose, the drug could put them in a permanent comatose state. This fearsome drug was known as Moon Drip.

Moon Drip was coursing through Gray's veins, weighing him down. The need for sleep overwhelmed him. He couldn't fall asleep now. He needed to escape and save Lucy. Time was already so precious. Gray shook his head violently to try to keep himself awake. He had made a novice mistake by drinking the water, but he couldn't fight it any longer. The stone floor came rising to meet him as the drugs forced him into unconsciousness.

Water splashed on Gray, shocking him awake. Light from the hallway spilled into his cell from the open door, illuminating the space. He coughed and sputtered as he struggled to gain complete consciousness. Gray shook his head, blinking rapidly to remove the water from his eyes. Looking around, the first thing his brain registered was the little patch of sky, visible from the portal above. It was dark and littered with stars. While he had slept, the precious hours he needed to save Lucy had slipped away. Before he could comprehend his situation, another splash of water hit Gray, sending him into another coughing fit.

"That's enough," a voice commanded.

Gray forced his gaze away from the sky and took in the rest of his surroundings. He was still in his cell but not alone. Three guards stood over him. The one who spoke was dressed in a vintage 1950s green satin, brocade tuxedo jacket with matching green pants, white tuxedo shirt, and purple bowtie. He wore a silver mask that covered his entire face, except for his enormously large eyebrows peeking from the sides.

The second guard was the tallest out of the three, wearing slim fit black slacks, a black vest with gold buttons over a pressed white shirt, a black bowtie, and a velvet cranberry jacket that came to rest just below his waist. His held a burnished gold cane with a dog head on the handle, explaining the rest of the man's accessories. He wore dog ears on top of his head as well as a gold, chained necklace that was weighed down by a diamond-studded sock. To complete his bizarre look, the guard wore a gold mask that hid his face completely, except for his mouth.

If it weren't for the third guard, Gray would have thought Lyon had sent clowns to retrieve him. The third guard was a man of average height who wore black, tailored pants tucked into black, polished boots, and an ebony, double-breasted military uniform coat that bore gold epaulettes on each shoulder. Aiguillettes also hung from his right shoulder, and an ornamental rapier hung from his left hip. He fixed Gray with a hard glare that appeared more intimidating due to the man's black mask which only covered the area around his eyes.

"Stand him up," the guard in the green suit ordered. The remaining two guards tossed aside the empty buckets they were holding and reached for Gray. Gray struggled to stand, but slipped on the wet stones, hitting the ground hard. As he had tried to catch himself, he had realized that his arms were chained behind his back. The two guards hauled him to his feet.

"Get your hands off of me," he growled, struggling to break free of their grasp. The guard in the green calmly walked to Gray and forcefully punched him in the stomach. Gray bent over as the breath was knocked out of him. His knees shook, and if it weren't for the guards gripping each arm, Gray would have collapsed. The assault didn't stop there. The guard punched the left side of Gray's jaw, causing his head to whip to the right. Another three punches were landed on Gray's stomach before he felt fingers knit themselves into his hair, a vicious tug snapping his head back.

"Our Boss gets the pleasure of killing you," the guard said, his silver mask looming inches from Gray's face, "but he never said we couldn't have a little fun with you before he does." The guard let go of Gray's hair and tugged off his mask and green jacket. The man's bushy, squared black eyebrows were his most defining facial feature. He had black eyes and long blue hair that was braided down his back. "Let him go."

"Yuka, I don't think this is a good idea. The Boss might-" the guard on Gray's right, the one with the dog ears, started to speak before Yuka cut him off.

"Shut up, Toby. No one asked you to think." Yuka shot a glare towards the other guard who remained silent on Gray's left. "Do you have something to say, too?"

The guard didn't reply; he simply let go of Gray's arm and leaned against the wall. After a moment, Toby did the same. Yuka grinned wickedly, satisfied with the other guards' submission.

Yuka rolled up his sleeves and cracked his neck. "Now, let's have some more fun, shall we?"

Gray was fully alert now. When he had first woken up, the Moon Drip had kept his senses dull. The shock of seeing how much time had passed hadn't helped matters either. Gray was out of time; Lyon's guards were there to take him away, which meant Lyon was ready for Lucy's execution. There was only one option left to him now. He was going to have to fight his way out. Even though his hands were chained behind him, Gray wouldn't let that stop him from handling the three guards.

He let his tense muscles relax as Yuka approached him. He shifted a little to the right when Yuka swung at him. Yuka's fist only met air. A little taken aback, Yuka reeled his left fist back and swung at Gray again. Gray easily side-stepped his punch, sending Yuka careening towards the wall behind him. Yuka's thick eyebrows knitted further together the more Gray dodged his attacks.

 _Good, get angry. Become sloppier than you already are,_ Gray thought as he dodged attack after attack.

"Oooonnn. Yuka-" Toby clutched his cane tighter.

"Silence, Toby," Yuka snapped and turned back to Gray who was bouncing on his toes. "Damn. We should have shackled your feet too, and then you wouldn't be able to dodge all of my attacks."

"Even if my feet were shackled, I still could beat you." Gray stopped dodging Yuka's attacks and charged towards him, aiming a kick at Yuka's stomach. Yuka's eyes widened as he realized he couldn't avoid the hit. The silent guard appeared then and blocked Gray's attack, protecting Yuka. Before Gray could recover, the guard with the black mask grabbed hold of his leg and threw him against the cell wall. Gray cried out in pain from the impact.

"I don't need your help!" Yuka yelled. "I can handle that lowlife on my own. Don't make me remind you who's top rank here."

The silent guard shot Yuka a cold glare, which shut Yuka up fast. The guard exited the cell, signaling that Yuka's fun was over.

"Drag him outside," Yuka quickly ordered Toby as he tried to recover his composure. Toby did as he was ordered and helped Gray to his feet, following after the silent guard. Yuka, redressed, emerged from the cell last. He shot a look at the silent guard who rested a hand on the hilt of his rapier. "If I had unleashed my full power on him, he would be dead, and the Boss would not be happy about that." The guard didn't say anything, just strode down the hall. Yuka narrowed his eyes as he watched the guard's back. "Damn newbie," he muttered before placing his mask back on his face.

"Yuka," Toby whispered, sending a furtive glance at the third guard's back. "There's something I think you might-"

"Shut the hell up, Toby. I thought I made it clear. I don't want you to think; I want you to follow orders. Now get going." Yuka pointed down the hall. Toby hung his head down in submission and started walking Gray to his doom, Yuka bringing up the rear.

Gray's head was spinning. He was finally out of his cell, but he needed to get rid of his guards.

 _Shit_ , he thought. Yuka and Toby were nothing compared to the third guard. He couldn't fight the other guard with his hands chained like this. Gray had to think of something. The guard had moved so quickly that Gray hadn't even seen him move at all. Who the hell was he? And if Lyon had more guys like him, then rescuing Lucy was going to be more difficult than Gray had initially believed.

"You see that bridge coming up?" Yuka snickered behind him. "It's known as the Bridge of Sighs. Supposedly, when these cells were used for real, the view from the Bridge of Sighs was the last view of Venice that convicts saw before they were imprisoned forever. The prisoners would sigh at their final view of the beautiful city of Venice as they glimpsed it through the window. How fitting that you walk across it towards your death."

 _Venice!_ Yuka's little history lesson had just provided Gray with some crucial information. _That would explain all of the water_ , Gray thought. _If I'm still in Italy, I know of a couple of places to hide with Lucy._ Gray's hope was restoring. He was out of his cell and now knew where he was located. However, once he left the dungeons, it would be more difficult to shake his guards. There could be more of Lyon's people roaming about, and Gray didn't have time to dispose of everyone. His teeth ground together as they came upon the Bridge of Sighs. Gray had to make a move. Immediately.

The silent guard had already made it to the middle of the bridge, before the rest of the group had even reached it. Taking advantage of this distance, Gray threw his entire body into Toby, slamming him into the side of the wall. Toby moaned as he hit his head against the stone walls. Yuka was shocked at Gray's sudden attack, gasping in fright. Gray spun on him, kicking Yuka in the stomach with a little more force than necessary to pay him back for his earlier punches. Yuka cried out and dropped to his knees, clutching his midsection. Gray sent a kick to the back of Yuka's head, rendering him unconscious. He whirled around to check on Toby, preparing for any of the man's counterattacks. Thankfully, Toby was already knocked out, slumped against the wall. Satisfied that the weaker guards were subdued, Gray turned towards the final and most difficult obstacle.

The third guard was leaning against the side of the bridge, his arms crossed as he stared at Gray. Gray was more than a little confused. When Gray had attacked Yuka back in his cell, the guard had protected the eyebrow man. The man had clearly heard Gray attacking his comrades, yet he hadn't made a move to stop Gray. The man uncrossed his arms and stood in the middle of the bridge, smirking at Gray. Gray narrowed his eyes at him. He didn't know why, but the guard was pissing him off without saying a single word.

Gray ran toward the guard, yelling as he jumped and aimed a kick at the man's head. The guard blocked Gray's kick and flung him away. Gray flipped in the air, tucking his body so he could bring his cuffed hands to the front and provide himself more control of his movements. The moment Gray's feet touched the ground, he used his momentum to spring into another attack. He sent a repetition of kicks at the guard, but the man dodged them easily.

 _He's fast_ , Gray thought as he dropped low and tried to swipe the guard's legs out from under him. The guard jumped, once again dodging Gray's attack. He landed a few feet away, smirking at Gray as he landed.

"I'd wipe that damn smirk off your face if it weren't for these chains," Gray snarled.

The guard laughed dryly, reaching into his coat, then flicking something over to Gray. Gray snatched the item out of the air. He opened his hand, and his eyes widened. _A key!_ He didn't think twice as he quickly fitted it into the lock of his chains. The lock opened, and his chains fell away. They rattled as they fell to the ground before Gray kicked them away. The bandages on his wrists were bloodier, the wounds irritated by the chafing of the chains. Ignoring the pain, he moved into an offensive stance, shifting his feet apart and raising his fists in front of him. He would beat this guy, then rescue Lucy.

Gray launched himself at the guard, aiming a kick at the man's stomach. The guard deflected his kick again. Anticipating this, Gray used this kick as a distraction and threw out his fist while the guard shoved his leg away. His fist connected with the guard's jaw, the blow sending him stumbling backwards. Seeing the startled expression on the guard's face made Gray smirk to himself.

"See," Gray said, raising his fists once more, "I told you I'd wipe that damn smirk off your face."

The guard spat and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. However, Gray wasn't shaken up by the guard's glare this time. It had been years since Gray had been in an actual fight. Regardless, after landing that hit, he felt confident that he could beat the guard; the man was just some lowly lackey of Lyon's. Gray's muscles were all warmed up. He was ready for his opponent now.

"I thought the beating bushy brows gave you would be punishment enough for you," the guard said as he removed his rapier, tossing it aside. "I also thought you realized you don't stand a chance at beating me, but you really are an idiot." The man shook his head. "If you had come quietly and hadn't opened your damn mouth, the beating I was planning on giving you would have hurt a lot less." He cracked his knuckles and walked to Gray slowly. "Even though I really want to, I promise I won't kill you."

The guard closed the distance between them in an instant. The man punched Gray with his right fist, then twisted, sending his left foot hurtling towards Gray's right side. Gray barely managed to dodge it, but the man was waiting for him. He reached for Gray, grabbing his ragged shirt, and flung him across the bridge. Gray slammed into the bridge. He tried not to expedite processing the pain coursing through his body as he scrambled back to his feet.

Gray was on the defensive now. He tried to counterattack, but all his punches and kicks just met the air. The man was fighting differently than before. All of Gray's focus was on dodging the man's attacks, which were all aimed at vital areas. Gray could feel the bloodlust rolling off the guard; it was hot and aggressive, fueling the man's strikes. Despite the man's words, he seemed like he really was about to kill Gray.

The man kneed Gray in the stomach and jabbed his elbow down on Gray's back. Gray tried to hold in his cry of pain, but it burst from his lips. He dropped to the cold stone, breathing heavily. He looked up at the guard as he staggered to his feet again.

"It seems you're feeling chatty all of a sudden." Gray threw a few punches at the guard, but he dodged them easily. He retaliated with a punch of his own which had Gray tasting blood. "Did my punch really piss you off that much?"

"Your existence pisses me off," the man replied, catching Gray's punch and tugging Gray towards him. He punched Gray in the face, the impact of the attack causing Gray to stagger backwards. He landed roughly against the wall.

"Screw you. I don't have time for this," Gray yelled. "Step aside! I need to save Lucy."

"Save her? Isn't it because of you that's she's in this place right now? You're making _her_ pay for the sins of _your_ past. If you never existed, she wouldn't be here in the first place," the guard replied.

"I left my past behind me." Gray pushed off the wall and started attacking the guard again. "She was never supposed to be involved in any of this!"

"You can never run from your past." The guard dodged Gray's attacks, slipping behind him. He wrapped his arm around Gray's neck, securing him in a choke hold. Gray's hand dug into the man's arm, trying to break free of his grasp. The man's grip was like iron, and try as he might, Gray couldn't break free. "It's attached to you. No matter how far you think you've run, it will find you again. But when it does, you're supposed to be stronger than you were before. If you aren't, it will swallow you and anyone you care about."

The guard released Gray as he coughed and gasped for air, falling to the ground. Gray rolled onto his back. His entire body hurt from the beating the guard had given him, yet it was the man's words that had really struck him hard. Despite his growing hatred for this particular guard, he was right. Lucy was dragged into this because of him. He had run away from his past, but his past had not run away from him. Instead, it had lurked quietly in the shadows waiting to pounce and strike when it would matter most.

"I wasn't strong enough to stop Lyon from reaching Lucy," Gray admitted as he glared up at the guard who now stood over him. "But I'm strong enough to save her. Lucy's future won't be taken away because of my past. I'll stop Lyon. I'll defeat you or anyone else who tries to stand in my way. I'll rescue Lucy even if it costs me my life; I swear it!"

The guard's hand curled into a fist and shook slightly but then unfurled. He leaned down and offered his hand to Gray. "I'm going to hold you to that promise." With his other hand, the guard reached up and removed his mask. Gray gawked at the guard's identity. It had been weeks, but he would recognize the man anywhere.

"Natsu!" Gray shouted in disbelief. What the hell was the cotton-candy head idiot doing there? Gray hadn't seen him since their confrontation at Levy's apartment. Gray noticed that Natsu's hair was actually black now, but he still wore that infuriating smirk. He took Natsu's offered hand, and the treasure hunter helped him off the floor.

"Oi, princess, you look like shit," Natsu smirked. "And you smell like shit, too."

 _No wonder the guard irritated me so much._ Gray ignored Natsu's jabs. "What are you doing here? How are you even here?"

Natsu rolled his eyes. "I'm here to rescue your sorry ass."

Gray snorted. "I don't need a flame brain such as yourself to rescue me. I can handle this on my own."

"You sure about that? Who was it that was passed out and still locked in his cell without a care in the world?" Natsu mocked. "Sure…you can definitely handle things just fine."

"I was drugged, damnit," Gray protested.

"You're a prisoner that has just been told your captor plans to kill you today. Why the hell would you eat or drink anything he offered you? Sounds like a mistake a lame-ass princess such as yourself would make."

Gray ground his teeth together. It had been a dumb move on his part. He was so absorbed with finding a way out of his cell, he didn't even think twice as he dug into his meal. It had been a mistake that nearly cost him his chance of escaping and saving Lucy.

Natsu walked past Gray and over to the unconscious body of Toby, nudging it with his boot. He started stripping Toby out of his clothes, tossing the articles of clothing to Gray. "Whether you want my help or not, you're getting it," Natsu continued on. "I'm not helping you because I like you or anything. If it was up to me, I would leave your corpse rotting back in that cell. I wasn't lying when I said I want to kill you." He narrowed his onyx eyes at Gray, tossing Toby's dress shoes over to him. "I know all about the sins you've kept tucked away in your past, Sterling Surge."

Gray would have thought Natsu was bluffing, but he called him by his real name. Plus, the look in his eyes made Gray realize that Natsu was telling the truth. Gray didn't know how, but Natsu knew. Everything. "How do you know that name?"

"That's unimportant." Picking up Gray's discarded shackles, Natsu dragged Yuka's unconscious body over to Toby's. "I don't give a damn about the blood on your hands or what you call yourself. I only care about the fact that Lucy's in danger because of your sins. I'm rescuing you because I made a promise to her that I would save you. That promise is the only reason why you're still breathing." He shackled the men together, cuffing Toby's right leg to Yuka's left arm.

"You promised her? She sent you to rescue me?" Gray's eyes widened. _Did Lucy find out that I was kidnapped? Was that how Lyon captured her? And why did she ask Natsu for help of all people?_

"Good boy, Toby," Natsu muttered as he patted Toby on his head. The key to the shackles lay in the middle of the bridge. Natsu picked it up and tossed it over the edge as he made his way back to Gray. "Yes to both. But don't get me wrong, if anything happens to Lucy, I'll kill you. Promise or no promise, I promise I'll give you the punishment you deserve for risking Lucy's life," Natsu declared, his gaze hard and serious.

Gray matched Natsu's gaze with his own. Lucy was Gray's best friend. Why was Natsu acting so protective of her? It had only been a few weeks since he had last seen the two of them together. Gray wondered what had transpired in those past few weeks to make Natsu care for Lucy so deeply.

"You shouldn't have come here," Gray protested. "You shouldn't have rescued me."

"Damn, swallow your pride," Natsu lectured. "So what if you're a damsel in distress. Just be grateful that-"

Gray grabbed fistfuls of Natsu coat, his hands shaking with rage as he glared daggers into him. "If you knew Lucy was in danger, then why the hell did you waste your time rescuing me? You should have gotten her out first. Fuck your promise, you should have-"

Natsu punched Gray so hard in the stomach, Gray felt like his organs had turned to mush. Instead of letting him fall to the floor, Natsu grabbed the collar of Gray's shirt and slammed him against the stone wall. The impact made his bones rattle inside of his already bruised body. Natsu raised his fist and punched the wall besides Gray's head, yelling loudly before tossing Gray away. Gray landed roughly on the stone floor, staring up wide-eyed at Natsu who was still fuming. Something dark blazed in Natsu's onyx eyes as he leered down at him, something that terrified Gray tremendously.

"Don't you dare tell me to break a promise to someone ever again," Natsu roared. The anger seemed like a living thing, squirming in Natsu's eyes. "You want to know something? If I hadn't rescued you first, I would have never kept that promise. I would have taken Lucy to safety and then killed everyone in this building. Including you."

Gray believed him. Not only that, Gray believed Natsu had spent many hours debating with himself on doing just that. He realized the truth of Natsu's words from earlier: _'I'm rescuing you because I made a promise to her that I would save you. That promise is the only reason why you're still breathing.'_

"Even though you put Lucy's life in danger, I'll put that fact aside. For now." Natsu sighed loudly, seeming to physically expel his anger. He dragged a hand over his face, and when he looked at Gray, his eyes were no longer blazing with that dark fury. "I promised Lucy I would save you and bring you both back to New York safely. And I will." Natsu offered his hand to Gray. Gray stared at the offered hand for a moment, but then took it. "So now, let's work together and save Lucy and get you both the hell out of here."

In those 15-or-so minutes, Natsu had given Gray many more reasons to hate him. However, he could see that Natsu's resolve to save Lucy matched his own. He clasped Natsu's arm, agreeing to work together to save his friend. However, once Lucy was safe from Lyon, Gray had to think of a way to keep her safe from Natsu as well. Gray didn't think he would hurt Lucy, but Natsu was dangerous. There was no doubt in Gray's mind about that.

"You haven't answered any of my questions," Gray pointed out, releasing Natsu's arm. There were so many things that weren't adding up. How did Natsu get here? How did he learn about his past? And where did he learn to fight like that? There was no way Natsu's fighting skills could have been learned without having experienced actual combat. There was no denying that Natsu was an experienced fighter. During their fight, Gray could tell that Natsu had still been holding back. His movements were too controlled, his attacks too precise. Gray eyed Natsu suspiciously. "You're not really working for Lyon, are you?"

"No," Natsu scoffed. "Could you try and not be so thick?" Infiltrating Lyon's operation was no easy task, and yet there Natsu was. Not only had he infiltrated it, he had helped freed Gray. Was it all really to keep a promise he had made to Lucy? "Ugh," Natsu groaned, turning away. "Will you change into those clothes already? You smell horrible, and that mask will cover up enough of your face that I won't have the overwhelming urge to punch it or vomit or both." Natsu crossed the Bridge of Sighs. He stepped on the hilt of his rapier he had dropped, sending the blade spiraling in the air. He snatched it before it could drop back to the ground, holding the blade in front of him. "And don't take all night, princess." Natsu smirked wickedly before slashing the air with the blade. "I have other promises I need to keep."


	17. Chapter 17

A/N:

Loves...It's with the heaviest heart that I announce:

WE'VE HIT THE 100K WORD MARK FOR APYJCK!

I never thought that I would have the ability or the motivation to write all these chapters, let alone having them equate to 100k. I cannot express my gratitude enough to all you lovelies that have read every single one of these 100k words and still take the time to send me such kind reviews and messages. I may never meet any of you, but you have inspired me to continue writing, developing my craft and following my passion. For that, my heart will always be yours.

This will be the final chapter for 2016. I have other life obligations to attend to, and also ENJOYING THE HOLIDAYS! I hope each and every one of you enjoy the final days of this year. I can't wait to see where APYJCK goes next year, and feel enamored with the knowledge that so many of you support this fic and will be there to read the next 100k.

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Rasclieboobear...I really can't express to you how thankful I am that you agreed to betaread for this fic. I mean, truly, this fic wouldn't be what it is without your touch. You are simply amazing, with your insight and SASS! AH! This pairing is better than pb&j and milk and cereal, and mint and chocolate. Thank you x infinity for everything you do for me and this fic. MUCH LOVE always!

* * *

"Turn left here," Juvia instructed. Lucy, disguised as Sherry, led Juvia down the long corridor, turning left just as her friend had indicated. "Everyone should be in the Sala del Maggior Consiglio to make sure all the preparations are completed. Everything must be ready before Lyon opens up the room for the ball, if it hasn't already started. Sherry is one of his officers so you won't be bothered. Just make sure to act with confidence. Sherry never takes orders from anyone besides her Boss."

"She's in love with him. No wonder," Lucy muttered.

"That fact is well-known, so when you deliver me to Lyon you have to act like you're in love with him, too. If you don't, they'll know something is amiss," Juvia warned. A staircase descended to the lower floors of the building. A nod from Juvia, and the pair started their descent. Chills went down Lucy's back when she remembered meeting the mysterious rival Boss for the first time. With every step they took, Lucy's stomach clenched tighter and tighter. She was basically handing Juvia over to the enemy. She was allowing Juvia to take her place — to endure the torment of Lyon's icy blood lust.

Even though this plan would allow Lucy to rescue Gray, something both girls wanted more than anything, it didn't sit well with Lucy. Having Juvia take her place felt wrong. As the girls made their way closer to the ball, Lucy couldn't help having second thoughts about letting Juvia stand in for her. What if something happened? What if Lyon found out about the switch before Lucy could make it back in time and save Juvia? What if Juvia was killed because of Lucy? That guilt wasn't something she could bare.

"Juvia," Lucy halted her steps, forcing Juvia to stop as well. "Let's switch costumes again."

"What?"

"I think you should be the one to look for Gray," Lucy declared. "I'll go back to being Lyon's sacrifice while you go and rescue Gray from the dungeons."

"That's not the plan, Lucy. Lyon wants to kill you. You can't be anywhere near him. You said it yourself; if you're not at the ball, then Lyon can't get his revenge. If something happens to you, then-"

"Then let's go look for Gray together! We know he's in the dungeon, so all we need to do is go there and get him out, and we'll all be safe." Lucy tugged on Juvia's arm, trying to lead her in the direction she thought the dungeons were located. However, Juvia was stronger than Lucy and wouldn't budge.

"Lucy. Stop." Juvia yanked her arm from Lucy's grasp. "You know that plan will never work. Lyon is expecting Sherry to deliver you to him now. If you don't show up, then he'll lock this place down faster than we could escape. This would all be for naught. It has to be this way. You have to be the one to go and save Gray."

Lucy shook her head. "But-"

"What's gotten into you all of a sudden?" Juvia asked. "You were fine with this plan moments ago."

"I know. It's just...Lyon wants _me_ dead," Lucy reminded her. "Lyon wants to kill _me_. If…if you were to get hurt because you were pretending to be me…I…I—"

"You're making it seem as if I haven't thought any of this out. I understand the dangers and what could happen if things went wrong. But I'm happy that I can do this. I'm happy I can save you and help save Gray. So don't be upset," Juvia sniffled, and Lucy saw the other girl's eyes water.

"Juvia-"

"We need to hurry before Lyon suspects anything," Juvia stated, turning away from Lucy and continuing down another hall. After a moment's hesitation, Lucy followed after her.

Not long afterwards, Lucy started recognizing the surrounding décor which meant she didn't need Juvia to guide her anymore. She was finally back in the area of The Doge's Palace that she had toured with Natsu. When the pair arrived in front of two large oak doors, Lucy knew the Great Council Chamber lay beyond them.

"This is it," Juvia said, staring at the doors in front of them. "No matter what happens, please save Gray."

"I will. And," Lucy took Juvia's hand, squeezing it tightly, "I will come back for you. I won't let Lyon have any of my friends. I promise I will save you, too, Juvia." Out of the corner of Lucy's eye, she saw Juvia nod her head vigorously, while wiping under her mask. Juvia squeezed Lucy's hand tight in return before letting it go. There was nothing left to say, so Lucy took a deep breath and opened the doors.

The Grand Chamber Hall was completely transformed. The space was already grand, but under Lyon's vision, the room had evolved to a new stage of opulence. Long tables covered by silver cloths were stacked with plates of succulent dishes. Candelabras sprouted out of elaborate flower arrangements placed at intervals on the tables. Performers were stationed at various places in the room. Identical triplets performed amazing acrobatic skills on a small stage, flipping their flexible bodies in perfect unison. An illusionist made things levitate, people disappear, and items conjure out of thin air. Male and female dancers with golden painted bodies and scantily clad outfits slinked in and out of the crowd of people, seducing the guests with their moves. A full string orchestra occupied one corner of the hall, filling the space with beautiful music. A section of the floor was already claimed by the guests who waltzed with their partners, creating a spiral of rustling silks, flashing with color.

Seeing the mass of masked guests enjoying the festivities made Lucy's heart drop. All of these people, every single one of them, were here to see her be killed — to see Gray die. They wanted to bear witness to Lyon finally achieving his revenge. As she walked through the room, Lucy tried to emit the same haughty confidence Sherry had displayed, but inside, she was spiraling with the knowledge of how many people supported her and Gray's death.

"Ah," someone sighed. "There she is." The crowd in front of Lucy stepped aside as Lyon strode towards her. Lucy froze at the sight of him. Lyon was dressed in a navy blue tunic with gold borders and black pants tucked into tall silver, armored boots. Around his shoulders hung a long white cape, black feathers accenting the shoulders. Lucy would have thought he looked like a knight or a prince if it wasn't for that terrifying demon skull helmet he still wore. Although, the helmet seemed to portray his true nature.

"I was beginning to worry that you had gotten lost on your way here. But thankfully, my guest-of-honor has finally graced us with her presence," Lyon grabbed the edge of his cape, flinging it dramatically behind him. "And what a stunning sacrifice you make."

The room seemed to quiet around them. Lucy felt the blood start to roar in her ears, her heart hammering in her chest. It wasn't until Lyon took Juvia's hand, that she realized he wasn't talking to her. He hadn't realized Juvia was taking her place which meant he hadn't yet realized that his loyal subordinate wasn't standing in front of him either—that it was Lucy, not Sherry, behind the mask. Steeling her heart, Lucy mustered up her courage. Juvia was risking her life for Lucy, and Lucy couldn't fail her now by giving them away.

"My- My dear boss!" Lucy tried her best to mimic the high, shrill voice of Sherry's as she spoke. "There was a… a slight wardrobe malfunction that needed taken care of. For love," Lucy almost choked on the word but surprised herself when her disgust at saying it didn't impede her performance. "I wanted to make sure nothing was awry for your guest-of-honor's appearance."

Lyon turned his head to face Lucy, staring at her for a moment. He let go of Juvia's hand, instead placing it against Lucy's cheek. Thankfully, her mask acted as a barrier so she wouldn't have to feel his fingers stroke her skin. Lucy had to force herself to keep from shivering from the closeness, though.

"Sherry," he said. Lucy's heart was thundering inside of her. _Please believe me. Please believe me_. "You did well. Enjoy the festivities with the other guests."

Lyon dropped his hand and turned back to Juvia. "You're awfully quiet. Nothing to say? Did all that fire in you burn out? Or have you accepted your fate as my sacrifice?" Lyon tilted his head. Juvia made a noise of disgust before turning her head away from him. The action only made Lyon laugh, grabbing Juvia by the arm, roughly. "This way, Miss Heartfilia."

He led her towards the raised dais in the back of the hall. Lucy took a step to follow but stopped herself. Her hands clenched into fist at her sides, shaking in anger at Lyon and at her own helplessness. She could do nothing now but watch. For Juvia's sake, and for Gray's sake, she had to keep pretending to be unaffected by it all.

The throne Lyon had been sitting on the first time Lucy met him was still positioned on the dais. He deposited Juvia at the foot of his throne, snapping his fingers. A length of chain was rushed to Lyon by one of his masked subordinates. With a nod from Lyon, the subordinate stepped towards Juvia. When the subordinate moved away, Lucy couldn't help the gasp of horror that escaped from her. A metal collar was placed around Juvia's neck. Lucy scanned the length of chain that trailed from it, her eyes resting on Lyon's hands which held the end.

"Juvia," Lucy breathed, her eyes already watering from the sight. This was what Lyon had in mind for her. Chained at his side, that was supposed to be Lucy up there, not Juvia. If Juvia hadn't rescued her, if she hadn't taken her place, she would have had to endure that torment. This time, Lucy couldn't stop her feet from moving towards them.

"Sherry!" A large woman stepped in front of Lucy, blocking her path and sight of Juvia. Lucy blinked, snapping her back to her surroundings. She tilted her head up to take in the full sight of the towering figure in front of her. The woman, or what Lucy believed to be a woman due to the large pale pink dress she wore, leaned down towards her, a large rat mask obscuring her face. "Didn't you hear me? I was calling your name."

"Oh, sorry. I was… uh… distracted." The woman turned to look behind her and then back at Lucy.

"That makes sense. That damn brat we picked up together gets to sit up there with the Boss. Ugh, it's not fair. She's like rotting cheese. She doesn't deserve that honor," the woman sneered.

 _So she's the other person that grabbed me on the bridge_. Lucy realized, staring at the massive person in front of her. Sherry hadn't seemed strong enough to carry Lucy through Venice, but this person surely did.

"Have you seen Toby anywhere? He said he would dance with me all night!" The woman squealed with delight. "I didn't even have to threaten him…as much."

"Toby?" That name sounded familiar to Lucy, but she forgot where she had heard it from.

"Oh, I know. I know." The woman waved her hand in front of her, seemingly embarrassed. "But there's something about the way he wears those cute little dog ears that just gets me every time. I can't help myself."

Lucy had no idea what that woman was talking about, but she didn't have time to waste there, chatting with her. She had to leave and find Gray. The sooner she got him to safety, the sooner she could get back and rescue Juvia. "Say," Lucy started. "How about I go look around for Toby for you and then send him your way?"

"Oh, Sherry, you're the best!" The woman wrapped her large arms around Lucy and spun her around before placing her back on the ground. "Tell him, 'Angelica's waiting by the buffet.' I look my best surrounded by food. I'll be irresistible to him."

"R-right," Lucy managed to get out, doing her best to smile at the woman—Angelica. "I'll be back in a little bit, Angelica." Lucy waved and hurried away towards the exit. _That worked out…I guess. Now I can use this as an excuse to be roaming around_. Lucy opened the door to exit the hall. Looking back, she spared one last glimpse at Juvia.

"I"m sorry. Juvia," she whispered, gripping the edge of the door. "But I'll be back. I'll keep my promise to you." Lucy slipped out of the room, leaving Juvia chained to a monster.

* * *

There were only a handful of Lyon's men roaming around, but no one stopped her. Instead, they stayed clear of her way. It seemed Sherry really was one of Lyon's officers that no one wanted to deal with it. It didn't take long for Lucy to make her way to the dungeons. Now that she was in the area of The Doge's Palace she recognized, maneuvering the area was easy.

The air was freezing the moment she entered the dungeons. The warmth of the upper levels didn't reach the stone walls and iron doors that made up the large expanse of prison cells. The dungeons extended the entire length of the palace. This didn't even include the extension, which Lucy remembered the tour guide mentioning, that was added on to house more prisoners. It was eerie and creepy being the only one down there as she started to check the cells.

 _He could be in any one of these_ , Lucy thought, wrapping her arms tighter around her for warmth. _How am I supposed to check all of these in time to save Juvia_? Lucy peered into another cell; finding it empty, she hurried to the next one.

"This is taking too long," Lucy grumbled as she came across another empty cell. "I need to find Gray and get him out here." Nonetheless, cell after cell after cell was empty with no sign — not even a trace of her best friend. "What do I do?" Lucy's heels hit the stones hard as she ran, looking into each cell she passed. "Gray? Where are you?"

There was no accurate way to track time in the dungeons, but it felt like Lucy had been running for hours. She leaned against the wall, trying to catch her breath. Her feet were killing her, and the corset of the dress made it hard to really breathe. The weight of the fabric clinging to her body and the wings tugging down on her shoulders weren't helping her situation either. Despite all the running Lucy had been doing, she still felt so cold.

Footsteps echoed down the hall ahead of Lucy. Panic shot through her and Lucy's first instinct was to hide. She tried the door of the cell closest to her and found it was locked. She raced down the hallway to another cell, and luckily, the door was already slightly ajar. Opening it wider to make room for her wings, Lucy slipped into the dark space beyond. The footsteps sounded closer now, and she tried to quiet her breathing. Edging to peer out into the hallway, Lucy peeked outside.

One of Lyon's men stood a few feet away from the cell Lucy was currently hiding in. His back was facing towards her, but she could see he was dressed in a black costume with gold epaulettes on his shoulders and a rapier hanging from his side. During her time searching in the dungeon, Lucy hadn't come across anyone else. "What is he doing here?" she thought aloud. "Is he a guard?"

A thought suddenly occurred to her. Since she was still disguised as Sherry, she could order the supposed guard to take her to where Gray was imprisoned. It would save her time from checking every cell. She had fooled Lyon with her disguise; a low-level subordinate shouldn't give her any problems. Taking a deep breath, she steeled her nerves. _Show time_.

The moment Lucy stepped out of the cell, the guard whirled around to face her. Lucy stood in the hallway, facing him with her head held high, trying to exude confidence and superiority. "You there," Lucy pointed a black gloved finger at him. "Take me to our dear Boss's captive. For love, I, Sherry, have been instructed to oversee the prisoner's delivery." The guard relaxed his stance after Lucy identified herself as Sherry. He gave a bow, stepping to the side to signal for her to continue forward.

Lucy kept her mouth in a firm line, like she was above even smiling. However, she was flipping cartwheels inside of her mind. _That worked!_ She silently praised herself and her acting skills as she walked past the guard. _I can't believe that worked! Now, I'll find Gray an_ -

The guard had moved fast. One moment she was lost in her thoughts, the next, Lucy was pinned against the wall, her hands held above her head. The guard loomed in front of her, his black mask filling up her vision.

"So _you're_ Sherry?" The man's voice was dark and menacing. "You saved me the trouble of looking for you." Lucy tried to break free of his grasp, but he held her wrists together with only one hand.

 _Who is he_? Sherry was one of Lyon's officers. Disguised as her, Lucy wasn't supposed to meet any resistance among Lyon's men. Lucy didn't really know how mafia groups worked, but certainly being an officer meant a certain level of respect. Then why was this guard turning on her? Did Sherry do something to him? Was this the moment he got his revenge on her?

An even more terrifying possibility: did they somehow find out that Lucy was masquerading as Sherry and were looking to capture her again? If that was the case, what had become of Juvia? If Lyon saw that Lucy and Juvia had fooled him….

 _Damnit. When I'm so close to finding Gray….I can't be caught like this._ She struggled harder to get away from the man, but he only held her wrists tighter.

"It's time for you to start talking," the man declared.

"I won't tell you anything!" Lucy snapped.

"You don't want to piss me off anymore," he growled. "I already know you're the one that was sent to kidnap her."

"What?" _Who was he talking about? Kidnap? "_ You don't want to mess with me. Lyon will-"

"Trust me. Your Boss will get what's coming to him soon enough. Now tell me," he demanded again. "Where is she? Where is Lucy?"

 _Me?_ Lucy was shocked. _He's looking for me_?

Before she could process why this guard was looking for her, he reached up with his free hand and ripped off her mask. He stared at her for a moment, and then Lucy heard his slight intake of breath.

"Lucy?"

His grasp on her hands disappeared; instead, his arms wrapped around her. "Lucy," he murmured her name and held her tighter. Lucy blinked, surprised by his reaction. Why was this man embracing her like this? Why was he acting so relieved — so happy to see her? With her cover blown and her identity revealed, Lucy had to act fast. She needed to somehow keep him quiet. There was no time to find out the answers to the questions that his actions had created. Her priorities were rescuing Gray and saving Juvia. Before her fear could stop her, she grabbed the hilt of the man's rapier and pushed him away. He stumbled backwards, his mouth opened in shock. Aiming the thin blade at the man's heart, Lucy gripped the hilt tighter. Lucy may have never handled a gun in her life, but fencing lessons from her childhood had made her comfortable with a blade.

"Don't move," she ordered. In spite of the decorative hilt of the rapier, the thin blade attached was real — thankfully. With a quick slash of the air in front of her, Lucy adjusted her stance, preparing for any of his attacks. "I don't know why you're looking for me, and I don't care. Now that you know who I am, I can't have you spreading that information."

"Wait. Lucy," the guard put his hands in front of him, trying to appear peaceful. Lucy wasn't buying it. He took a step towards her, but Lucy slashed with the rapier.

"I said don't move." A thin line of blood appeared on the man's left hand where she had struck. He sucked on his teeth, seemingly annoyed with the pain, but he retracted his step. "I want you to lock yourself in this cell." Lucy nodded her head towards the cell she had been hiding in. "Move slowly with your hands up, and I won't use force."

"Are you hurt?" the guard asked.

"Huh?" He was the one bleeding; why was he asking her? Lucy furrowed her brow. He was trying to distract her with random questions. She needed to remain focused. If only she could get him into that cell.

"Did they do anything to you?" The guard still ignored her order, standing there as if he was assessing her. "I can't see any physical wounds, but…" The man continued his questioning. Asking her whether or not she had been fed, if she had been allowed to sleep, if they had put her through any psychological torture. "I was worried about you."

 _Worried?_ Lucy rolled her eyes. She wasn't going to fall for this act. Natsu had said the rival Boss was smart. She was outraged as her mind worked out what Lyon had orchestrated. Lyon had to have figured out that Lucy wasn't with him and sent this guard to apprehend her. No, Lyon probably knew that Lucy was pretending to be Sherry when she handed over Juvia to act as Lucy's replacement. He had let her come down here without any difficulties. Lyon wanted her to feel like she could win — to give her hope that she would save Gray. Now, when she was close to achieving her goal, Lyon wanted to snatch her back, and that's where this guard came in. Lyon's lackey was trying to make Lucy drop her guard. She wasn't about to make that mistake.

"I don't know who you are, but I'm not going to fall for this trap. So you can stop acting like you care about me. That's not going to work. Now, hurry up. Get in the cell. I don't have time to deal with your games." Lucy cursed inside, hearing how her voice shook, but she kept glaring at him. Even if she caught onto Lyon's manipulation, the guard he chose was a good actor. Her heart even stuttered every time he said her name.

"Games? Lucy, I pr-"

"Enough!" Lucy slashed the blade in front of her again, emphasizing her word. "Stop saying my name."

It was then that she heard a second set of footsteps coming down the hall behind the man. _Another guard? No_. Lucy could hope for a miracle and handle one guard, but two? The prospects didn't seem likely. Still, Juvia was counting on Lucy; Juvia was placing all her hope in Lucy's rescue of Gray. Lucy couldn't fail now. There was so much at stake, not just her own life, but Juvia's and Gray's.

"Quickly," she hissed, as the footsteps sounded closer. "Get in the…" The moment the second arrival appeared, Lucy's words dropped from her tongue. He appeared, dressed as if he was about to attend Lyon's ball in black pants, shiny, black dress shoes, a white shirt with a cranberry colored coat over it. The wings of his bowtie dangled on either side of his collar, and the top three buttons were left undone. A gold mask dangled from his hand as did a cane with a dog bust on top and a band with dog ears attached to it..

"Okay, I'm done. But there's no way in hell I'm going to wear these dog ears," Lucy heard him say. Dropping the rapier, Lucy ran straight towards the new arrival. All thoughts of the dangers around her, the death looming over her, and the consequences of failure that would claim the lives of her friends evaporated. All she could think about was the person in front of her.

"GRAY!" she shouted, leaping into his arms.

"Lu-LUCY!" He spun her around as he caught her, dropping his mask and cane.

It was him. It was really him. He was here. He was alive. All those weeks of worrying, of not knowing where he was, of not knowing what was happening to him lifted from her heart. Lucy could hold him in her arms, feel for herself that he was alive and intact. She hadn't been too late. She hadn't failed him. Lucy could keep her promise. She could save her best friend.

"Gray," she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm so glad…I'm so, so, so, so glad I found you."

"How? How did you escape?" Gray looked down at Lucy, confusion on his face. Lucy looked up at him, giving him a brilliant smile. There was so much to tell him, but that would have to wait. She found him. Finally. However, his life was still in danger.

"I'll explain on the way. We need to leave first," Lucy wrapped her arms tighter around him, confirming again that he was really here. Gray made a gasp of pain. Startled, she eased her grip on him, looking up in time to see him trying to hide a wince. "You're hurt!"

Looking closely at him now, she could see that bruises peppered his skin, and his lip was cut and swelling. His clothes hid the remainder of his wounds, but she could only imagine the extent of his injuries. "Lyon did this do you?" Anger flared up in her, seeing the torment her friend had been put through.

"Uh, well…no. I tripped and fell in my cell. The stones are hard and stupid, and so I got a little battered up," Gray said, trying to laugh at his clumsiness.

"You fell?" Lucy asked, not really believing a single fall could cause all of those injuries.

"It was dark in my cell, so I tripped a lot. Did I mention how stupid those stones are? I think it's important for you to know that I really, really don't like those stupid stones." Lucy was about to ask whether or not he had hit his head on the stones, but her best friend gathered her up in a hug again.

"I'm sorry," Gray apologized, sounding close to tears. "I never meant for you to be involved in any of this. I'm so sorry, Lucy."

"Gray…"

"There's something I need to tell you. About my past, I-"

"That's enough, princess." The guard pushed Gray away, causing him to stumble back. "I think you made your point. Why don't you stay in here for a moment?" The masked man forced Gray into an empty cell, closing the door.

"Don't!" Lucy protested, running to rescue Gray. The relief she had felt from finally finding her best friend had made her completely forget about the guard trying to bring her back to Lyon. Lucy reached for the rapier but realized she had dropped it. The blade lay feet away from her.

"Time to go." The guard scooped Lucy up in his arms and started walking briskly down the hall.

"Gray! Gray!" Lucy looked over the guard's shoulder, back at the cell Gray was now stuck in. "Let him out!"

"Relax. I'll let him out in a minute," the masked guard declared. "It was his fault for interrupting."

"Let me go!" Lucy demanded. "I said, let me go!" She struggled to get out of his arms, but the man's grip was solid.

"I'm not going to do that. So stop telling me to," he snapped at her, but he thankfully stopped walking. "If I hold you like this, no one can take you away again. So shut up, and let me keep my promise to you."

Lucy stopped struggling. She stared up at the guard, who glared down at her, his mouth set in a firm line. ' _So shut up and let me keep my promise to you._ ' There was only one person she knew that talked about keeping promises so fiercely. But that couldn't be right? He shouldn't be here. Didn't this guard work for Lyon? He couldn't be _him._ Her mind saw the golden haired girl and the kiss that followed. Her heart still couldn't shake that image from her memory. He had made it clear he didn't want to help her anymore.

"Nat…su?"

"Who else could sweep you off your feet?" he smirked.

When Lucy saw that insanely infuriating smirk, she knew, without a doubt, it was him. "But why? Why are you here?" she asked, staring up at him in disbelief.

"Why? What do you mean why? I'm here to take you home…and the princess, too. Just like I promised you."

Lucy couldn't help the tears that fell from her eyes. So many emotions were running through her. She was happy and relieved that Gray was safe, and now Natsu was here. He had come to rescue her. "I thought…the girl…and the k-kiss," Lucy sobbed. "I didn't think you wanted…wanted to help me save Gray," she revealed. "I didn't think you wanted to keep your promise anymore."

Natsu held her tighter, his smirk disappearing. "C'mon Lucy," he said after a moment of silence. "Have a little more faith in me; I'm not that type of guy. I thought I told you already. I always keep my promises. Have I ever made a promise to you that I didn't keep?"

"No," she said quietly, reflecting on the very first promise Natsu ever made to her. Despite how frustrating he was, he had kept his promise and all the others after that.

"But what about that girl?" Lucy cringed at how that sounded. "Who was she?"

"That was Ichiya's informant. She was just delivering some information that I had requested from her boss about… Well, that's unimportant."

 _An informant_? Was that all that girl was? Lucy had only been mistaken about the whole situation? "So you're going to help me save Gray?" she asked.

"A promise is a promise," Natsu grimaced. "I had forgotten just how annoying your princess is, though."

"Hey, he's not annoying at all," Lucy admonished half-heartedly.

"Remind me to show you that his picture is used to define that word in the dictionary," Natsu teased.

"Whatever." Lucy rolled her eyes. "Just let him out of that cell. He's been locked up enough."

"We differ on that as well."

"Natsu!"

"Well, it really hurts a man's pride when his wife not only threatens him with a sword but then runs off, leaping into another man's arms all teary-eyed and shouting his name," Natsu huffed loudly, his irritation clearly evident. "So your princess can stay in there for a little while longer."

"W-wife?" Lucy's eyes widened. "That was only pretend. Wait, you didn't tell Gray did you?"

"He was a little upset he didn't receive an invitation," Natsu laughed.

"Natsu!"

"When we get back, we can have a large ceremony if you want. I'm sure you'll want Levy as your maid-of-honor…well matron-of-honor now."

Lucy rolled her eyes again. It was so easy to forget that she was in the middle of enemy territory where a Mafia Boss wanted to kill her, Gray, and anyone who tried to stop him from achieving his revenge. With Natsu here, she felt like those things didn't matter. Lucy felt like she could do all the things she had promised to accomplish. Most importantly, she felt safe.

"Natsu, put me down, please," Lucy said. "I can walk."

Reluctantly, Natsu set Lucy back on her feet. "You can just jump back into my arms whenever you want."

"You bastard!" Gray's voice thundered down the hall. Natsu rolled his eyes, but Lucy saw a wicked gleam shine through them.

"Language, princess." Natsu smirked.

"The damn door wasn't even locked!" Gray glowered, inches away from Natsu's face. Natsu continued smirking, clearly enjoying Gray's reaction.

"It's not my fault you can't open doors," Natsu said cooly.

Before Gray and Natsu could continue their banter, Lucy cut it. "Natsu, could you please take Gray somewhere safe? Maybe Cana's house? Now that we have Gray, I don't want him any place where Lyon or Gold Pistol or any other mafia Boss can get to him. I'll meet you there as soon as I'm done here."

The smile on Natsu's face faded. "Lucy? What are you talking about?"

Both Gray and Natsu turned to her, the expressions on their faces nearly identical. They were both looking at her as if she had sprouted two heads and asked them if they were lovers.

"Please," Lucy grabbed Natsu's hand. "Take Gray now, and go. We've already wasted too much time. I can only trust you to protect him — to keep him safe. Promise me you'll-"

"I"m not going to promise you that." Natsu's eyes hardened.

"But-"

"Lucy," he interrupted. "I promised you I would save your princess AND you. If I left you here, who knows what would happen to you. There's no way I'm taking that chance."

"Natsu-"

"Even if this flame brain listened to you, I wouldn't leave you behind," Gray claimed. "Why would you even suggest that?"

This wasn't going the way Lucy wanted. She needed Natsu to take Gray away so Lyon wouldn't be able to hurt him. If Gray was gone, Lyon wouldn't be able to get his revenge. Lucy would be able to keep her promise to Juvia and then rescue her. If Gray was still here, though, he would still be in danger. He had to leave.

"Gray, listen," Lucy pleaded.

"No, you listen, Lucy." Gray, grabbed her shoulders. "You don't realize the severity of the situation you're in. The man who kidnapped you wants to kill you to get back at me. I know Lyon better than anyone else in this room. He'll do it, too. So hopefully you'll understand now why Hell would have to freeze over before I let you stay here."

"I think Hell just froze over because I agree with the princess," Natsu said, crossing his arms. "I'll carry you out of here if I must."

Lucy shook off Gray's hands and took a step back. "I know Lyon wants to kill me to hurt you, Gray. That's why I need you to leave so that won't happen." She gabbed fistfuls of the fabric of her dress, clenching them in frustration. "It's you two who don't get it. I have to keep my promise! If Gray stays here, I can't do that."

"Promise?" Gray asked. "What promise?"

"I didn't escape from Lyon on my own. I had help," Lucy admitted. "She took my place as Lyon's sacrifice so I could rescue Gray. But once I made sure Gray was safe, I told her… I promised her I would come back and save her."

"Who did you make that promise to, Lucy?" Natsu asked, arching his brow.

"To Juvia Lockser," Lucy revealed.

"Juvia?" Gray gasped.

"She disguised herself as one of Lyon's men and was trying to find you Gray. Except, she decided to save me so that I might rescue you in her place," Lucy explained.

Natsu shook his head. "It sounds like a trap. Juvia could just be using you to get Gray to safety before turning around and letting Lyon kill you. After all, she did thr-"

Gray twisted his body and delivered a punch to Natsu's gut. Gray's sudden burst of violence made Lucy gasp in shock. Natsu was taken by surprise with Gray's first attack, but Lucy watched as he blocked Gray's second punch.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Natsu yelled, punching Gray in the face and grabbing him by the collar. Gray grabbed Natsu's collar as well, seething with rage.

"Don't you dare speak about Juvia like that!" he roared. "She's not twisted and heartless like that monster that has her now."

"Not twisted or heartless?" Natsu scoffed. "She pulled a knife on-"

"NATSU!" Lucy shouted, trying to stop him from finishing that sentence. She shook her head when his eyes met hers. He held her gaze, and Lucy hoped he could read the silent message she was sending to him. _Don't finish that sentence. Don't tell Gray_ , she pleaded with him. Natsu narrowed his eyes, but after a moment, he gave a subtle nod, shoving Gray away from him.

"Do you trust her?" Natsu directed his question to Lucy.

"I do." Lucy nodded her head.

"Fine. I'll help you keep your promise to her then. But the second she turns on you, I'll stop her. Permanently, " Natsu threatened.

"You'll do no such thing," Gray argued. "I'll stop you before you can even touch her. And since you like promises, I'll promise you this. If you hurt Juvia, I'll bury you."

Lucy watched the tension grow between Natsu and Gray. They looked like they wanted to rip out each other's throats. And Gray…She was shocked by his reaction towards Juvia. She knew Juvia loved Gray, but Lucy didn't expect him to have any feelings for her that went deeper than friendship. However, his actions, his words, his protectiveness — Lucy was starting to doubt her initial assumption. What had developed between Gray and Juvia?

"Juvia wants you far away from Lyon, Gray," Lucy reminded him. "You need to leave."

"I'm sorry," Gray tore his gaze from Natsu to speak to her. "I wasn't going to leave you here with Lyon. And now, I have more than enough reason to stay here with you. I'm glad you're safe, and I can't tell you how much it means to me that you would risk your life to rescue me. You're my best friend, and I never wanted you involved in any of this. But now my past has even dragged Juvia into this mess," Gray's gaze shifted to the ceiling of the dungeon where, floors above, Juvia awaited Lucy's help. "I won't let Lyon take away anyone I care about. So no matter how much you beg me, I won't leave here. I won't leave here until I know she is safe."


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N:**  
Due to the upcoming nature of the events in this story, I decided to up the rating from T to M. This rating is based on the use of strong language, amount of violence, and suggestive scenes. Please keep in mind, there will be NO gore, over excessive description of violence (i.e. torture, rape, etc.), or smutty scenes. This will be by NO means a MA fic. I won't cross that line with this story. I just thought I should warn those if they are uncomfortable with reading a M rated fic. Thank you, please enjoy the next chapter.

* * *

The orchestra paused for eight counts before launching into another waltz. The masked figures clasped hands, drawing closer to their partners. When the shrill of the violin mingled with the other high notes of the stringed instruments, a section of the Great Hall was once again claimed by twirling figures and their swirling silks, dancing across the polished floor. The sounds of laughter and music drifted together, clogging the air like smoke. Lucy pretended to sip from the champagne flute in her hands, her eyes behind her mask scanning the crowd in front of her while trying not to choke on all the merriment.

It was taking a considerable amount of effort to remain calm and keep up her charade as Sherry, but it took an even greater amount of restraint not to look in Juvia's direction. When she had first returned to the Great Hall, Lucy was relieved to see Lyon hadn't caught onto their switch. However, the relief was short-lived; Juvia was still chained to his side with death hanging over her head. Drawing in a deep breath through her nose, Lucy held it in for a moment before letting the breath out through her mouth. She went over the plan in her mind again to calm herself.

Natsu was somewhere in the room, setting up the final elements of his plan to rescue Juvia. Whatever he was arranging was, supposedly, going to allow all of them to walk out of this room alive but apparently required absolutely zero help from Gray or Lucy. Natsu had explained that his plan was too complicated to let either Lucy or Gray help. Gray didn't like leaving everything to Natsu, and the two of them had got into a heated argument back in the dungeons.

Ultimately, Natsu won the debate; in order to rescue Juvia, Natsu needed to get close to Lyon. Considering Lyon wanted to kill Lucy and Gray, it made more sense to keep both targets away from the mad Boss hell-bent on revenge. Gray and Lucy were tasked with standing next to the Grand Hall's main entrance and waiting for Natsu's signal. Once the signal was seen, they were to rendezvous with Natsu and Juvia at the departure point. Natsu had wanted Gray and Lucy to be waiting there already, but she had put her foot down. Natsu had called her stubborn, but she hadn't cared. Lucy wasn't going to wait in safety while others risked their lives to keep her promise. She had promised Juvia to come back, and she was going to keep that promise—even if it meant just standing by the door. Gray had pretty much expressed the same opinion, albeit with a different set of colorful words that had Natsu and Gray at each other's throats again.

Annoyed that she couldn't play a more active part in rescuing Juvia, but unable to come up with any viable ways her involvement would help the situation, Lucy pretended to take another sip of her champagne. Her eyes scanned the room again, this time searching for the gold mask her best friend was wearing. Gray was supposed to stay with her, but disguised as Toby, he was mistaken by Toby's friends and ushered over to the silver-clothed tables before he could protest. His absence made Lucy even more on edge.

The crowd shifted in front of Lucy, and she was able to see a flash of Gray's gold mask. She wished he had listened to Natsu and stayed far away from this place. His presence in the room didn't allow Lucy to keep part of her promise to Juvia. The fact that Gray was even in the same room as the man who wanted to kill him was definitely not the form of rescue Juvia had in mind when Lucy had promised to save him. She just hoped that nothing tipped off Toby's friends that Gray was charading as their friend.

"What a lovely dress!" a voice exclaimed from behind Lucy.

"Oh," she said, startled out of her thoughts. Lucy started to turn towards the speaker when she felt something hard press into the small of her back, and she froze.

"Too bad there's a dead bitch wearing it."

Lucy broke into a cold sweat; she recognized that voice. Fingers wrapped around her right forearm, tugging it back harshly and pinning it behind her. Lucy gasped from the sudden pain, feeling the person's nails digging into her skin despite the silk barrier of her gloves.

"Sherry," Lucy gasped, not needing to turn around to confirm that the mafia girl was the one behind her—the one holding the gun pressed against her back. _No! Not you._ Lucy's heart pounded in her chest. She needed to escape; she couldn't afford to be caught now—not when they were so close to saving Gray, rescuing Juvia, and leaving this nightmare behind them for good.

"Did you think knocking me out and shoving me in a broom closet would be enough to stop me from coming after you?" Sherry twisted her nails in Lucy's arm to punctuate her question. "As if I'd let some low-level pawn pretend to be me in order to worm her way toward our dear beloved Boss. My _love_ is stronger than that!"

 _She doesn't know it's me_ , Lucy thought, biting on her lip to keep from crying out. _This isn't good._ _The second she realizes who I am, Juvia will_ —

"IMPOSTER!" A woman's shrill voice broke through the music and laughter, silencing them. Lucy turned her head towards the voice and froze again. From her position she could see the towering figure of Angelica. Her ugly rat mask was discarded, allowing Lucy to see her features twisted in horror and shock. In her hands, Gray's gold mask dangled. "You're not Toby! You're—"

"Gray." Lucy had forgotten that Angelica had asked Lucy, pretending to be Sherry, to persuade Toby to meet her by the banquet tables. Angelica had mistaken Gray for Toby, since Gray was disguised as him. Gray must have said something out of character that caused Angelica to be suspicious, leading to the disaster in which they found themselves. Lucy tried to step forward, wanting to get her friend out before it was too late, but Sherry shoved the gun harder into Lucy's back and further twisted her arm, preventing her from moving.

"Ahhh!" Lucy cried out, unable to hide her pain.

"What's this?" Sherry let go of Lucy's arm, sliding the barrel of the gun to the front of Lucy's waist as she stood before her. Juvia had stripped Sherry of her dress and given it to Lucy to disguise herself. Sherry was thus dressed in a large sheet that was knotted to form a toga. Her pink hair was disheveled, and her blue eyes glittered with hate. "How do you know the name of Lyon's monster?"

Biting down on her tongue, Lucy stopped herself from saying anything further. She needed to get away from Sherry so she could somehow get Gray out of here. However, the gun pointed at her naval was a serious obstacle.

"No one but the officers know that detail of information. There's no way a lowly pawn like you would know that. Unless..." Sherry cocked her head as she considered Lucy. "You didn't come here to get close to my dear Boss, did you?" She furrowed her brows as she worked through the thoughts running in her mind. "With my mask and my position… No one would question your movements. You don't work for my dear Boss; you're working against him! You're trying to free that man!" Sherry's eyes widened in wicked glee as she realized Lucy's plan. It seemed Sherry wasn't some mindless mafia wolf after all. "But now I've caught you.

"As an officer, I could just kill you, and no one would think twice about it. If you were merely a pawn stepping out of line, you would have already been dead. However…" she paused menacingly. "Since you came to rescue that beast, my dear Boss will decide how you die." Sherry stepped closer to Lucy, trailing the barrel of the gun up her torso until it rested below Lucy's chin. Fear wrapped Lucy in its clutches as she felt the gun press against her skin. Lucy had never been held at gunpoint before. All it would take was one little movement from Sherry, and Lucy would be dead. _Don't think about that now. Focus!_

Lucy forced herself to look away from Sherry, needing to know what had happened to her friend. From where she stood, she saw Gray struggling against Angelica's grasp. The giant of a woman had locked her arms around Gray, pinning his arms to his sides when she picked him up. Gray kicked and thrashed against Angelica, but his attempts of freeing himself were fruitless. The crowd moved, cutting off her view of Gray. _Stop! Gray, no!_ Lucy thought, straining her head to find him in the crowd. _Where's Natsu? Gray's in danger!_

There were hardly any people near the main entrance. After Angelica's outburst, the crowd had migrated toward the commotion—no doubt wanting a better look at the uproar. The crowd all turned toward the rear of the room suddenly, and Lucy slowly turned her head as well. Lyon stood from his throne, staring directly in the direction Gray had been. Even though she couldn't make out his features this far away, Lucy knew there was a wicked grin on the rival Boss's face as he held up his hand and bellowed out, "Bring him to me."

Taking Lucy's arm again, Sherry stepped behind her and shoved her forward, painfully twisting her arm up as she pressed the barrel of the gun against Lucy's back. "Let's go."

The gathered audience all pressed forward toward the back of the room, wanting to get a better view of the new form of entertainment. Sherry managed to cut her way to the front, using Lucy as her personal battering ram. Lyon made his way down from his throne, tugging on Juvia's leash for her to follow. The crowd had made a wide circle in front of the throne in order to watch the procession of events, and the excitement emanating from the crowd was making Lucy's stomach flip.

"Boss," Angelica snarled, stepping into the circle with Gray still thrashing in her arms. "This…This thing was pretending to be Toby!" The large woman threw Gray to the ground. The sound of his impact made Lucy wince. She watched as her friend shakingly picked himself off the floor. She trailed her gaze away from Gray toward Lyon. The rival Boss stood unflinching as he took in Gray's glare, a smirk present on his face.

"So you decided to masquerade as one of my own to save her," Lyon yanked on the chain, sending Juvia sprawling in front of him. The action only made Gray's look of hatred darken. "Foolish. But admirable. I wonder though, how did you manage to break out of your cell?"

"He had help," Sherry declared as she shoved Lucy into the circle as well.

Lyon turned toward their direction. His jaw was clenched in aggravation, about to reprimand whoever dared interrupt his moment. However, when he took in Sherry's state and whom he assumed had been Sherry, the muscles in his jaw relaxed.

Gray's gaze met Lucy's as she broke through the crowd. She saw his eyes shift from her face to the gun pressed against her back. Lucy wanted to call out to her friend—tell him to take Juvia and run. All that mattered was that they made it out safely. She flicked her eyes to Juvia who was looking at Gray with an expression of shock, then horror, then fury so real it made Lucy shiver. Juvia's fingers curled against the marble floor so tightly her knuckles were white and her hands shook. This was all wrong. This wasn't supposed to be happening. Lucy felt she had let both of them down.

"Sherry," Lyon called out, cold as ever. "Explain."

"This girl knocked me out, stole my costume, and pretended to be me. No doubt, she was the one that freed your monster from the dungeons. When Angelica caught him, she called out his name."

The gun dug into Lucy's back, but Lucy pressed her lips harder together. If there was a chance that Lyon would recognize her voice, Lucy wasn't about to make a single sound. She thanked the stars that they hadn't removed her mask yet. There was still time. Where was Natsu? What was he doing? She needed him. Gray. Juvia. They all needed his help. She felt steely resolve harden in her belly. As long as she had breath in her body, Gray and Juvia _would survive._ Somehow. Lucy just had to hold on until Natsu's signal.

 _Natsu. Help us_.

"I see," Lyon's wicked grin spread across his lips once more. The Boss half-turned back to Gray, whose eyes were darting back and forth between the gun Sherry held and the mafia Boss hovering over Juvia. "I typically hate surprises, you know, but this one makes things interesting. Sherry, bring her to me."

"My dear Boss," Sherry's voice gushed with admiration. "Might I take care of her? I would happily kill her. For love, I—"

"Let you kill her? Why would I let you do that? Your incompetence almost cost me my revenge. You would just fuck it up again. Don't make me repeat myself." It was amazing Lyon could speak with such a thorough coating of ice over his voice. Lucy couldn't understand how Sherry could admire him so much—how she could love him.

Sherry's grip on Lucy's arm tightened, taking her frustrations out on her. Nonetheless, Sherry obeyed Lyon and walked Lucy over to him.

"For love, my dear Boss, I just—"

Lyon backhanded Sherry. The sound of the slap echoed in the silent hall. The girl stumbled back, falling to the marble floor and releasing Lucy as blood trickled down her chin from her split lip.

"The one thing I can't stand more than incompetence is insubordination. Another word out of you, and I'll kill you without a second thought. Now get out of my sight."

Lucy didn't have a single reason to feel even an ounce of warmth towards Sherry. The girl had been only vicious and mean to her since they had met. Still, Lucy pitied her. No one deserved treatment like that.

To her credit, Sherry collected herself from the floor and gave a slight bow to Lyon as she retreated silently into the crowd but not before Lucy saw the tears rimming her eyes. Before she turned away, Sherry made sure to give Lucy a frightening glare. _If looks could kill..._ Lucy's thoughts trailed away as Lyon began to speak.

"My gathered guests and loyal members, the crowning moment of tonight's celebration is finally upon us." Lyon spread his arms wide as he addressed the surrounding crowd, his voice lost the ice it had when he had spoken to Sherry. He reached out and grabbed Lucy's arm, surprisingly gently, drawing her to his side. He looked down at her, the black slits of his mask bearing into her like before. "It seems like Ur's spirit is looking down upon us, blessing my revenge," Lucy felt his grip on her arm tighten, "Here we have another soul the monster has corrupted that _must_ be sacrificed."

Lyon viciously shoved Lucy to the ground. She threw her hands out to catch herself, the effort in vain, and jarred her bones in her arms as she hit the floor.

"Stop it!" Gray yelled, scrambling towards Juvia and Lucy. As vulnerable as Lucy felt, helplessly lying on the floor, the raw _pain_ in Gray's voice made her heart splinter.

The rival Boss reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a gun as he said, "Now, now. Be patient." He aimed the gun at Gray, making him stop abruptly. "I'll kill you soon enough."

"Lyon, please. Don't do this," Gray pleaded, dropping to his knees. "Just kill me instead."

Feeling the rival Boss' cold bloodlust roll off him behind her, Lucy shivered. She slowly picked herself off the ground, kneeling on her knees next to Juvia. She turned her head away from Gray, unable to handle the defeat in his eyes. It was then that she noticed what Juvia was doing. Between Lyon throwing her down and dealing with Sherry, he had unknowingly dropped the chain to her collar. Slowly, Juvia discreetly gathered the links out of his reach. Sensing her stare, Juvia looked up and mouthed to Lucy, _Don't give up_.

"I'm begging you—"

"Beg all you want, Sterling, but I'll have my revenge!" Lyon interrupted Gray, his voice roaring in the Great Hall.

 _Sterling?_ Lucy furrowed her brow in confusion. _Why is the rival Boss calling Gray 'Sterling'?_

The rival Boss sighed, collecting himself. "You're not being fair. All these people came to see me get my revenge on the cold-blooded murderer they all know you to be. Not this sniveling joke." He gestured at Gray with his free hand as he spoke. "Where's the person that threatened me so viciously down in the dungeons? Where's that dark look in your eyes? WHERE'S THE MONSTER!?"

No one spoke. No one moved. No one even seemed to breathe. The space was filled with an icy tension that no one dared do anything to break. When Gray didn't answer, his navy blue eyes like stone, Lyon pointed the gun at Lucy's head. "I guess you need a little inspiration to talk?"

"Lyon!"

"You see, with this little vixen's arrival, I'm faced with a new dilemma: Who to kill first?"

The fear that Lucy had been trying to suppress tightened around her hammering heart. She couldn't stop her body from shaking. She was about to be killed. The words couldn't properly fit together in her head. No more laughing with Levy, no more chatting with Gray, no more promises to Natsu. It would all be gone soon.

Juvia encouraged her to not give up, but with Lyon holding a gun against her head, Gray begging on his knees, and Natsu nowhere to be found, how could Juvia say that? How could she be so strong? How could Lucy not do anything but give up? Lucy wasn't born into this world like Juvia. She hadn't sought it out like Gray or Natsu. She was thrust into this dark world and it was about to kill her. Tears rushed down Lucy's cheeks, despite her efforts to rein in her emotions. She was trying to be brave, but it seemed she had reached her limits. All her promises, the ones she made to herself, to Gray, to Natsu, to Juvia...laid broken in front of her.

"Now, I'm going to be kind. Even though you're the last person who deserves any sort of kindness, I can't forget that I once called you my blood brother. With that being said, you'll get to decide who dies first: the woman who failed to save you, or," Lyon tilted the barrel of the gun away from Lucy with an almost lazy sweep and pointed it at Juvia, "the woman you failed to save?"

"You know I was the one that did it, Lyon. I killed Ur! I took her away from you. They have nothing to do with her death! Don't harm them. They're innocent. KILL ME DAMNIT! KILL ME!" The sight of Gray slamming his fists into the floor and shouting at Lyon with such desperation only made Lucy cry harder.

 _"I'll tell you this—the monster you befriended took someone very important away from me. Now I'm going to return the favor. I'm going to kill you in front of him and make him experience the same pain I felt that day before I end his pathetic life too."_

 _Ur!_ That was the name Lucy had heard Gray let slip that one drunken night. He had told her that was the name of his sin. Lyon had called Gray a murderer, and Lucy didn't believe it, but now….

 _"You know nothing….He's filled your head with so many lies, that you can't even see the truth_." Lyon's words rang in her memories. _Gray killed someone_? Even with her friend's confession, the five years Lucy spent with him countered it in her heart. It didn't make any sense. It didn't add up.

"That's better, Sterling," Lyon said, shifting the gun back to Lucy. "More. Give me more!"

"This isn't funny Lyon! This isn't a game!" Gray stood to his feet, shaking with a building rage. "You hurt them. I'll—"

"Restrain him," Lyon ordered his wolves

Angelica rushed to Gray with surprising speed given her stature. Her vice-like grip caged Gray, pinning his arms to his sides again. "Lyoooon!" Gray roared, thrashing and kicking against Angelica's hold on him.

Lyon threw his head back and laughed. "Yes! Yes! More Sterling! Rage more!"

"I'll kill you Lyon! You hear me? If you fucking do it, I'll kill you. I'll kill you all!"

The more Gray continued to curse and threaten Lyon and his men, the more joy emanated from the rival Boss. He was taking pleasure in this. ' _For nearly a decade I've been waiting for this day. The day I can get my revenge on the monster I have locked in the dungeons below. I thought such an opportunity was lost, but fate chose to smile down on me.'_ This moment was something Lyon had been waiting for. The complete destruction of his former friend turned enemy. Lucy believed watching Gray rave madly was the equivalent to sipping a perfectly aged wine for the rival Boss. And Lyon...it seemed he was going to enjoy every last drop.

"Which one will it be, Sterling?" Lyon waved the gun between Lucy and Juvia. "Who means more to you?"

" _STOP!_ "

"TELL ME, STERLING!"

"DAMN YOU! YOU'RE DEAD! I KILL YOU, MOTHERF-"

"THAT'S IT! That's the expression!" The rival Boss pointed the gun back to Juvia, releasing the safety. At the sound of this, Gray let out a terrifying noise, that shocked Lucy. The look of pure hatred Lucy saw in Gray's eyes as he stared at Lyon scared even her. In the five years that she had known him, Gray had never looked at anyone that way.

Lucy felt the touch of Juvia's hand. She looked at the girl beside her, expecting Juvia to be trembling in fear like she was. Instead, Juvia's head was bent towards the floor, the long white hair of her wig hiding her face. Lucy thought she was sad, crying because of their impending doom, but when the mafia heiress looked up at her, her blue eyes were fiercely determined.

"It seems we have a winner!" Lyon bellowed as he stood fully behind Juvia. "Lucy Heartfilia!"

 _Save Gray_ , Juvia mouthed.

Was this it? Was Lucy going to sit there and watch as Juvia was killed in her place? Was Lucy going to live with the guilt that her failure to keep her promise had resulted in another person's death? That wasn't fair. That wasn't right. Juvia was willing to sacrifice herself for Lucy, but she didn't realize that Lucy was willing to do the same for her.

"STOP IT!" Lucy screamed, finding her voice again as she ripped off her mask and wig. "She's not Lucy. I am!"

Lyon's head shot towards Lucy, taking in her appearance. His lips parted in shock, as Lucy glared up at him, tears shimmering down her cheeks. "What? H-How?"

Juvia took advantage Lyon's distraction and rolled to the side as she pushed Lucy away. Without wasting a second, Juvia lifted the chained leash high, slamming it down on Lyon's helmet. The rival Boss cried out, clutching the right side of his face as he staggered back.

"Bitch!" He swiveled to where Juvia now stood, aiming the gun at her. Juvia's attack had broken his helmet, revealing Lyon's bleeding eye. That was the last thing Lucy saw, before a loud explosion rocked the room and thick clouds of smoke clouded her vision.

Lucy began to cough as the smoke continued to fill up the room. Shouts of fire echoed in the room followed by panicked screams. This was it. This was Natsu's signal. Lucy lifted her gloved hand to her face, and bent lower to the ground. Due to the blindness caused by the smoke, people pushed and shoved against her as she darted around the room. It was hard to breathe and her eyes were watery, but none of that mattered. She had to get to Gray. She had to get to Juvia.

A few moments ago, all Lucy had felt was the darkness pressing in on herーall she could see was their doom. Now, this was their last chance. This was their remnant of lightーtheir remnant of hope. Fear still had her in its grip, making her heart hammer faster and her body shake constantly; but Lucy was clinging on to her hope for dear life.

Moving in the direction she last saw Gray and Juvia, Lucy waded through the chaos rushing around her. "Gray!" she yelled. "Juー"

A force barreled into Lucy, sending her careening towards the floor. "If I kill you in this chaos, my dear Boss won't find out now will he?" Sherry purred darkly into Lucy's ear. The mafia wolf gripped one of Lucy's wings and tore it off her costume while cackling. A fresh wave of fear pumped into Lucy. Sherry was just humiliated in front of everyone by the man she admired most. She seemed desperate enough to please him before that event, and now, there was no telling how she would torment Lucy in order win his favor back.

Lucy had failed so many times in the past few days. She wasn't going to fail again. She felt Sherry lean over her again, and then, Lucy threw her head back. Sherry screamed, clutching her face. A throbbing pain blasted through her head, but with a burst of adrenaline, Lucy flipped Sherry off of her. Scrambling to her feet, Lucy turned around to face her enemy. Sherry was near enough that she could distinguish her in the smoke. Blood poured from her nose, drenching the sheet Sherry wore as it dripped down the front of her.

"You're going to pay for that!" Sherry's eyes narrowed. "I should have known it was you all along, you bitch."

"I told you, Sherry," Lucy said, surprised at herself that she managed to keep the fear out of her voice. "Stories have a way of surprising you in the end."

Lucy watched as Sherry's features darkened, a maniacal grin spreading on her face. Lucy swallowed. The mafia girl now looked like a wolf about to hunt.

"There's only one ending for a rabbit that runs across a wolf's path," Sherry said, cackling. She pulled out her gun again, aiming it at Lucy. Before she could shoot, a panicked guest collided into Sherry, making her stumble.

Lucy took advantage of the girl's distracted state and ran further into the smoke, hoping she could shake Sherry off in the chaos. People pushed and shoved her in their attempt to escape the Great Hall. Jostled by them, Lucy lost her sense of direction. Amongst the confusion, it was difficult to tell where she was. How was she supposed to find Gray and Juvia and get them out?

"Ahhh!" Lucy cried out when she felt someone tug on her hair, hard. Her head whipped backwards and the metal of a gun kissed her cheek. Lucy stared up into the wild eyes of Sherry.

"Caught you," Sherry said, smiling as she tangled her fingers more into Lucy's hair. Lucy struggled against her, but Sherry's grip was iron-tight. "Stop moving so much or you're going to get blood on my dress."

Seized by an overwhelming urge, Lucy grabbed fistfuls of the skirt of the dress, and pulled down hard. The fabric tore easily and Lucy grinned in satisfaction as the fabric fell to the ground.

"You bitch!" Sherry tugged harder on Lucy's hair, bringing tears to her eyes as she felt the strands of her hair tear from her scalp. The force of Sherry's pull made Lucy fall backward to the ground. She landed on the hard floor, hitting her head against the marble. Spots dotted her vision as she gasped from the pain. There was no doubt that she would have a concussion from that last impact.

Sherry sat on top of her, pinning Lucy's arms down with her feet as she pointed the gun right above Lucy's heart. Lucy's feet scraped against the floor, her heels long gone in the madness of the night, as she tried to gain some purchase. Sherry wasn't going to let her go. The wolf had caught its prey and it was about to devour it.

"Struggle all you want, but you're going to die tonight like my dear Boss planned. For love, I'll kill you and give him his revenge," Sherry snarled, taking the safety off of the gun. "But before you die, I want you to admit it." Lucy stopped struggling and stared up into the mafia wolf's glaring eyes. A wild hunger lit her gaze as Sherry admired her prey. "You talked about how stories surprise you in the end, but that was all a bunch of bullshit. If you believed that shit you preached, you wouldn't have written all those damn goodbye letters!"

 _My letters!_ Lucy's eyes widened in shock. She hid the letters inside the wardrobe in her room, hoping, if she was lucky, after the mafia wolves moved on from this place one of the staff members might stumble upon them. They were her final words in case...in case she failed. There were so many things she still had left to say. The letters were her only means of conveying her words to the people she loved if she were to die before getting a chance to say them.

"When I regained consciousness, I rushed back to your room, in order to take you to my dear Boss. Instead of finding you, I found all those letters you wrote. I should have ran back to my dear Boss and reported everything, but I couldn't help it. You acted so high and mighty earlier, I wanted to see what you spent your final day writing about.

"Those damn letters were all filled with mush and sap, I wanted to puke," Sherry rolled her eyes as she remembered the words contained in Lucy's letters. " _The moment we first met, I hated you,"_ Sherry quoted. Lucy stilled, remembering exactly to whom she had written those words to. " _The more I time I spent with you, that hate turned to love. My heart has never felt so much happiness. You were the light that lit up the darkness. I'll die today but I want you to know that I..._ am an absolute, disgusting piece of shit," Sherry said, laughing. "You should thank me though. I made sure to burn every letter so no one else would have to read that trash."

"You had no right!" Rage rose like a wave inside of Lucy, wanting to drown the mafia wolf looming over her.

"You're the one that has no right!" Sherry snarled, pressing the barrel down on Lucy's chest. "Because of you my dear Boss...he...he said…" Tears splashed down from the mafia wolf's eyes onto Lucy's cheeks. "None of that will matter after I kill you." The girl shook her head as if to clear Lyon's words from her head. "For love, just die."

Lucy shut her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her letters. Lucy had put her whole heart into them. Now, they were all gone. No one would know how she truly felt. _He_ wouldn't know...Sherry had taken her final words and turned them to smoke and ash. This was the end.

"Lucy!" Instead of the impact of a bullet, Lucy felt Sherry's weight disappear from her chest, and strong hands grip her shoulders, shaking her. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Lucy noticed Sherry was lying unconscious next to her. The mafia wolf's gun was nowhere in sight. _Who?_ She looked up and her eyes widened.

"Natsu!" She sat up and flung her arms around him. Lucy had never been so relieved to see him in her life. He held her tightly, crushing her to his chest.

"Thank God I made it in time," Natsu said.

"You're here!" She cried harder, the warmth of safety enveloping her.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I couldn't risk setting off the smoke devices and accidentally startle Lyon into shooting you or Juvia. When I finally was able to set them off, I ran after you; but with the chaos I couldn't find you," Natsu explained, his voice shaking. "I just...I'm so glad I wasn't too late."

The smoke in the room started to thin, returning some visibility about the space. The shouts and screams of the people that once filled the room were fading out. Instead of smoke, Natsu's scent washed over her and Lucy took comfort in it. He still smelled like sunlightーif sunlight had a smell. Lucy breathed in the scent deeply trying to calm down.

Natsu helped her to her feet, his eyes scanning her over. "Are you seriously hurt anywhere?" he asked.

Lucy could only imagine what she looked like. Ragged dress, crazy hair, cut and bruised all over, but still breathing. Physically, she was fine. However, emotionally, Lucy knew she was going to have to work to overcome the events of these past few days. There were more nightmares in her future.

"I'm fine," she said, forcing herself to believe those words for now. "I'm worried about Gray and Juvia, though."

"Me too," Natsu looked around the room. "We're going to find them. I won't break my promise to you." He reached out and grabbed her hand and drew her closer to him. "Stay close to me and keep your head down. Okay?"

"Got it," Lucy agreed, her eyes flicking to the gun she realized he was holding. _That's how he knocked Sherry out_.

The pair picked their way carefully through the room. The smoke steadily disappeared, and Lucy could see better the more they moved about. She suspected that the other guests were running around, flinging open doors and windows that led out of the room to try to escape the fake fire Natsu had started. She gripped Natsu's hand tighter, not wanting to be separated from him, even for a second. Movement to her right caught her attention. Lucy turned and saw Gray appear from the smoke.

"Gray!" she exclaimed, tugging on Natsu's hand.

"Lucy!" Her friend ran towards her. He was bruised and cut as much as she was, but he was still alive.

"STERLING!" Lyon appeared from the smoke as well. His helmet was gone, blood streaked his face from the wound Juvia had inflicted on him.

"Shit," Natsu shoved Lucy back. "Get down," he barked out before running towards Lyon, gun pointed at the rival Boss. Lucy watched Natsu go, racing towards the Mafia Boss who slowly raised his arm, revealing the gun he held. Turning towards Gray, in horror, Lucy realized he was directly in front of Lyon's path. The gun was trained directly at Gray and Lyon's bloodlust was evident in his wide-eyed gaze. There was no time to get to Gray. There was no time to stop Lyon. Natsu wasn't going to make it. There was nothing Lucy could do. Her eyes widened in terror as she perceived what was about to happen.

"THIS IS FOR UR!" Lyon shouted.

 **BAM!**

"NOOOOO!" Lucy screamed as the gunshot echoed in the room, filling her ears. Gray went down, disappearing into the last clouds of smoke. Lucy went slump, feeling her legs give out as she dropped to the floor.

Lyon tipped his head back, roaring with laughter. "UR! DID YOU SEE? I SLEW THE MONSTER THAT KILLED YOU! I'VE OBTAINED YOUR REVENGE!"

Natsu rushed the rival Boss, tackling the man to the ground. The gun flew from Lyon's grasp when he landed. Natsu's fists connected with Lyon over and over again, but bloodied and beaten, the man still continued to laugh.

"Damn you!" Natsu stood, jerking Lyon to his knees. He placed the barrel of his gun at the back of Lyon's neck to stop him from doing anything else.

The smoke unraveled further, and through the dim layer, Lucy could see her best friend again. He was on his back, his arms splayed out at his sides. Lucy tried to get her feet to move, to run to him. Her body wouldn't respond to her. It was too overcome with shock to do anything.

Lucy had met Gray five years ago. It was a cold day in the city, freezing winds bit at every piece of exposed skin. Lucy had popped into her favorite cafe to buy a coffee to warm herself up and spend some time working on her manuscript. Gray was in front of her, but he had forgotten his wallet. She happily paid for his drink, smiling at him as she had said, "From one artist to another." He was shocked that she knew he was an artist, but Lucy had just laughed, stating he had paint all over his hands. It wasn't hard to tell. That day was one of the coldest of the year, but after spending several hours sharing their passions with one another, it was one of Lucy's warmest memories.

The one thing she wanted most ever since Lucy saw his picture in Gold Pistol's folder, was to save Gray ーto keep him safe in order to make more memories with him. Lucy had ran head first into the dark world of the mafia to find him. With Natsu's help, she had faced the mafia wolves. Terrified the entire time, Lucy fought to keep her promise, even during the times she lost faith in herself. She was willing to do whatever it took to save Gray. Gray was her first true friend. He had always held a special place in Lucy's heart. So how could he be gone?

Gray's fingers twitched and then, she saw him shake his head. "Gray?" Lucy whispered, not believing what she had seen. He bent his arm behind his head, and she noted how he winced in pain.

"GRAY!" Lucy clambered to her feet, rushing to him. He was alive! The bullet hadn't hit him!

"IMPOSSIBLE!" Lyon snarled, noticing Gray's movements. "I DIDN'T MISS!"

The smoke finally gave way, disappearing entirely. Lucy stopped halfway to Gray, stunned. Lying across Gray's chest, her wig and mask still in place, Juvia was strewn over him. The white smoke had been the perfect camouflage for her white costume, so no one had noticed Juvia as she knocked Gray out of the way. Lucy watched as Gray realized who had just saved him.

"Juvia." Gray raised himself up, tenderly gathering Juvia in his arms as he embraced her. Lucy noticed how Gray visibly shook with joy.

Lucy took another step closer, relieved that everyone was okay. She turned to Natsu, a smile already on her lips wanting to share with him how happy she was. However, the look on Natsu's face wasn't right. He looked somber as he stared at Gray and Juvia. Annoyed that Natsu wasn't excited about their success, Lucy turned back to her other friends.

"Juー" Lucy shook her head in disbelief, dread caging her heart. _Why isn't she moving?_

Natsu's somber expression made sense now. Lucy's smile faltered. She realized she had been mistaken as a dark red stain began to bloom across Juvia's white dress. Lyon hadn't missed.

"JUUUUUVIIIIAAAAAA!" Gray tipped his head back and screamed as he cradled her body to his.

"J-Juvia?" Lyon choked out.

 _'_ _As long as he can leave this place and still smile. If sacrificing my life ensures his happiness, I will gladly do it a thousand times over.'_

"No!" Lucy's hand fluttered to her mouth as she realized what Juvia had done.

The sound of abundant footsteps echoed in the room. In seconds, their group was surrounded by men all dressed in black suits with guns trained on them. Lucy thought they were Lyon's men, here to rescue their Boss and finish what he had started. There was no more hope for any of them. They had walked into a den of wolves and no one was going to come out alive.

"Put down your gun," a deep voice heavy with an Italian accent spoke behind Lucy. She noted how Natsu's eyes widened as he saw who was behind her. "You wouldn't want anyone else to get hurt, now would you, Salamander?"

* * *

 **A/N:**  
First things first: A huge thank you to everyone who worked on this chapter: lDraconius, and Fairytail5evaJCL thanks for looking over it! Rasclieboobear, as always, so much love for your edits. PerchanceADream thank you for replying so quickly and for your edits! Lastly, Pondfrost thank you for your edits and adding that extra spice to this chapter! All of you are so wonderful!

Okay loves. I'm back! I'm sorry it took so long. January was strictly devoted to finishing grad applications and another fic I was working on (What Bloomed in the Heart of Winter.) All that devotion paid off, because I got accepted into my top choice for school and I was able to finish the fic! I also had space in my brain to think of another Fairy Tail inspired fic-The Heir. It will have all our favorite ships in it too! (shameless promo)

Anywho, I only have 5-6 months now to finish the enrollment process, sell my stuff here, find a new apartment, a job and move to a completely different state! It seems like a lot of time, but with other things in my life, it's a time crunch. I'll try my hardest to update twice a month like I usually do, but it may only be once a month until I get everything settled again. I'm not going to drop this story, so no worries there. I appreciate all the love and support you all have shown me in regards to APYJCK! To see everyone love this story as much as I do, ahhh my heart glows.


	19. Chapter 19

Natsu wasn't easily surprised, but it had happened twice in one night. The first surprise had occurred in the dungeons when Lucy had revealed to him that the Italian Mafia's heiress, Juvia Lockser, had helped her to escape the rival Boss. After their first encounter with the mafia heiress, Juvia seemed more likely to kill Lucy on sight than to save her. So, why _did_ she? The revelation didn't sit well with him. It didn't make any sense. After all, Juvia was the reason the members of the Italian Mafia were hunting Lucy. Juvia's order was absolute and she hadn't recanted it. Why save the person you ordered to be killed?

Juvia's appearance had thrown Natsu's plan off balance. Lucy and the princess had been far too stubborn to let him handle her rescue alone. Both of them had death threats hanging over their heads, but they still had persisted on coming back here to help save her. Everything in him knew it would be a bad idea to allow them to walk into Lyon's den of wolves again, but he had ignored his instinct. Natsu had believed in his abilities to get them all out safely, despite the high level of failure. However, he had underestimated the rival Boss' wolves—something Ichiya had warned him against doing. The wolves had sniffed out their prey and almost devoured them. Perhaps, Natsu's own pride was what had led to this situation.

Thirteen men armed with pistols surrounded Natsu and the others. The men wore matching black suits, the tailored fabric outlining their tone, muscular physiques. However, Natsu didn't care about any of them. All of his attention was focused on the fourteenth man. The second surprise of the evening:

"Gold Pistol."

The short round man dressed in a black pin striped suit was the leader of the Italian Mafia, Boss Salvatore "Gold Pistol" Lupo. He stood directly behind Lucy, his signature gold pistol hanging lazily in his hand. The Boss stroked the end of his curled moustache with his free hand as he smiled wickedly at Natsu, his gold tooth glinting. The sight sent a wave of blazing anger through Natsu. Just when he thought all the variables were removed from the current situation, _he_ had to show up. Natsu hadn't forgotten the last conversation he had with the Boss when he thought that the man's wolves had snatched Lucy. He took a step toward them, but Gold Pistol aimed his gun at Lucy.

"Ah, ah, ah," Gold Pistol chided Natsu, inclining his head toward Natsu's gun. "I don't like repeating myself, Salamander."

This was the third time Natsu had to watch Lucy be held at gunpoint. Even from this distance, he could see how Lucy's eyes were wide with fear. Now that the smoke was gone, Natsu was sure he could take out Gold Pistol with one shot, but with the Boss's finger on the trigger of his gun, the risk was too high to attempt it. He felt the familiar white-hot rage roaring inside of him to punish the Mafia Boss for even thinking about threatening Lucy, but Natsu shoved it down. He couldn't lose himself to his rage at the moment. He needed a clear mind to figure out a way to save them all.

There were only eight bullets in Natsu's gun. Even if all of his bullets found their mark that would still leave five more wolves, plus Gold Pistol. Not to mention, the second Natsu started firing, the wolves would fire right back. It would put Lucy at risk, as well as Juvia and Gray. An offensive maneuver wasn't an option. A defensive strategy wouldn't be helpful either. Lucy was too far away to get to without Gold Pistol reacting. Gray could take care of Juvia, but he wouldn't be able to fight off the mafia wolves while he carried her. Her condition was too critical for that.

In the past, Natsu would have taken one look at Gold Pistol and his wolves and smiled with delight. He had lived for the danger, the thrill of conquering challenging feats. The adrenaline would course through his veins, pushing him to defy the odds with little regard to his well-being. He would get drunk on it and lose himself. The white rage inside of him would make everything burn. Except, this situation wasn't like any of his past experiences. He had been alone with only himself to be concerned with. This time, there were others who were counting on him. This time, there was more on the line than himself and his impulsive actions.

Lyon remained motionless in front of him. It seemed like something had broken inside the Russian Mafia leader the moment he realized who his bullet had struck. All the rival Boss could do was stare at the limp figure of Juvia in Gray's arms. In Natsu's mind, he still catalogued as a threat. Broken men were unpredictable, after all.

Gray was desperately trying to stop Juvia's bleeding, pressing his jacket against her abdomen. The princess's face was pale with crushing anxiety, tears still streamed down his cheeks. There was so much blood that Natsu couldn't tell if the shot had been fatal or not. For all of their sakes, Natsu hoped for the latter. With Juvia shot and bleeding just a few feet away from him, there was no telling what the Mafia Boss would do. Gold Pistol was the type to shoot first and ask questions later—if he asked any questions at all.

 _Fuck._

Things were looking grim.

One of Gold Pistol's subordinates walked toward Natsu, his hand outstretched to receive his weapon. Natsu's finger twitched, stroking the trigger in the barest of motions, almost reverently. Every nerve screamed at him to shoot them all, but he couldn't. Not with everyone and everything he cared about on the line. Reluctantly, Natsu handed over the gun. He was out of options.

"There's a good Salamander," the Boss lowered his gun. "Who would have thought that your weakness was a pretty face?" he cackled. "Now, I see you have my treasure here. Your work is a little sloppy compared to the work you've done for me in the past, but I guess that's what retirement does to a person. It doesn't matter though, I'll still get what I came here for." Gold Pistol snapped his fingers and two men broke from the circle, stalking toward Gray.

"Stop!" Lucy shouted, standing as she faced the Mafia Boss. "Stop it! Can't you see? None of that matters now. Juvia...Juvia's been shot. You need to save her!"

"Juvia?" Gold Pistol looked away from Lucy to where Juvia laid unconscious in Gray's arms.

Natsu winced at Lucy's words. He was worried about Juvia, she was losing a lot of blood. Time was ticking away if they wanted to save her. However, even if they explained that it was actually Lyon who had shot Juvia, Gold Pistol would surely blame them for his niece's injuries. _If only Juvia was conscious...she could command these wolves to step down and stop Gold Pistol. We could all get out of this alive._

"Help her!" Lucy visibly shook with fear, as she bent down and clutched the lapels of Gold Pistol's suit. "She's the real Boss of the Italian Mafia, isn't she? You have to save her!"

"Lucy, don't!" Gray yelled across to her as he still tended to Juvia.

The air in the room suddenly changed, feeling charged by an emotion Natsu knew well. Bloodlust. His protective instinct was practically screaming at him to grab Lucy and get the hell out of there. He clenched and unclenched his fists, hating how powerless he was at the moment. Out of the corner of his eye, Natsu noticed the ripple that went through the mafia wolves. It was only then that he realized how grim their situation was.

"Help her?" Gold Pistol smiled, a toothy grin with a manic gleam appearing in his eyes. He patted Lucy's cheek, the way one would an ignorant child. "Why would I do that?"

Lucy gasped, letting go of the Mafia Boss. "But Juvia…she's your family..." She turned to Natsu, her brows knitting closer together. "It's Juvia. You told me the Italian Mafia would do whatever it takes to protect her." Her eyes scanned over the men in the room, noting their lack of movement. Her gazed landed on Juvia. There was so much blood, and so little time. "WHY ISN'T ANYONE HELPING HER?!"

"What I said is true, Lucy, _but_ ," Natsu glared at Gold Pistol, feeling a new wave of hatred and loathing wash over him for making Lucy suffer like this. "These men aren't members of the Italian Mafia."

Everything, from the beginning, had been one giant ruse. Natsu cursed himself for not realizing it sooner. He had underestimated both mafia bosses. Natsu didn't believe that Gold Pistol could be this cunning—this manipulative. He had been so wrong. The tiny man was able to blindside him. Natsu hadn't been able to see the bigger operation being orchestrated. He had allowed himself to be used as a pawn. Such carelessness even put Lucy in danger. There was more to this than even he could have suspected. He ground his teeth together as he realized all the mistakes he made. Gold Pistol was right. He had grown sloppy.

"Juvia, hang in there," Natsu heard Gray murmur to her unconscious figure. "I won't let you die here."

"Gold Pistol needed Juvia dead, but he couldn't do it himself. The Italian Mafia would kill him if they found out he had anything to do with her death; so he hired these grunts to do it for him. They're from Phantom Lord—the mercenary guild with money as their only Boss."

"Oh ho, Romeo!" The Boss turned and applauded Natsu. "I see you picked up quickly." He gripped the end of his moustache, toying with the curl. "Yes, I hired members of Phantom Lord to kill my niece, but it seems the Sub-Zero Emperor beat them to it."

"Gold Pistol," one of the men gruffed out. "We're still getting paid." The Phantom Lord members started to grumble to themselves. These mercenaries weren't loyal to anything but gold—not even to each other.

"Yes, yes. You all will get your money." Gold Pistol said, speaking loudly to talk over the men's complaints. Sighing, the Boss rolled his eyes as he looked in Natsu's direction. "They don't have the same finesse as you, Salamander, but they get the job done."

"Let me get this straight," Natsu edged a step closer to the Mafia Boss and Lucy. "You hired Gray for his services, but when Juvia fell in love with him, you got spooked. Your title of 'Boss' is directly linked to Juvia, because without her blessing, you would be powerless." At this, Gold Pistol's eyes narrowed, and his grip tightened on the gun. "When their engagement was announced, you knew you had to act. You saw that your power over her was threatened. As her husband, Gray could persuade Juvia to make him the Boss of the Italian Mafia and dethrone you. That was a chance you couldn't take. That event was a reminder to you that your power in the Underworld wasn't absolute. It wouldn't be enough to get rid of Gray, you needed to get rid of Juvia as well."

"Perceptive, Salamander...retirement hasn't completely dulled your abilities."

"Bastard!" Gray shouted at the Boss.

"You would throw away your only family member just for power. Does Juvia mean nothing to you?" Lucy asked.

Natsu kept his eyes on Lucy, searching for an opening to get her away from Gold Pistol. It seemed her concern for Juvia had overridden her fear of the Mafia Boss. He remembered how she had acted toward the man when she found out that he wanted her best friend. When it came to people Lucy cared about, it seemed it didn't matter how terrifying the person was. She would stand up to them in order to protect her friends. Natsu admired that quality in her, but it was a deadly characteristic to have in the Underworld. He warned her before—there were no heroes here.

"You don't belong in this world at all, Juliet." The Boss shook his head, laughing. "Juvia and I do share the same blood, but you're naive to think that a word such a 'family' would mean anything in this world. If that were the case, I wouldn't have been able to kill my own sister. The only thing that means anything is power."

 _He killed the Tempesta?_ Natsu's eyes widened as he stared at the Mafia Boss.

Lucy dropped to her knees, holding her head as if she were in pain. "You killed...Juvia's mother?"

"Of course I did," Gold Pistol bragged, continuing to cackle as he held up his weapon. "She had the power I wanted, so with this gun, I killed my lovely little sister Marcella. She never saw it coming! Afterwards, I framed some low mutt, making it appear as if he lost his mind. They bought it all! It was too easy."

"YOU'RE A MONSTER!" Lucy eyes were hard with rage as she looked up at the Italian Boss, but there was an emotion laced in her voice that chilled Natsu.

The Boss lifted his gun, bringing it down on Lucy's head, knocking her out. "That mouth of yours has always irritated me."

"Lucy!" Natsu lurched forward, but the member of Phantom Lord that took his gun grabbed him, holding him back with surprising force. He felt the barrel of his own gun press against the small of his back, but it was only because Gold Pistol pointed his gun at Lucy's unconscious self that made Natsu stop struggling.

"Gold Pistol!" Natsu growled, the white-hot rage writhing in his veins.

"Come on now, Romeo. Calm yourself. Your Juliet is only asleep. You, let the man go." On Gold Pistol's command, the mercenary released Natsu. "Now, to ensure she wakes up...well, that all depends on you."

"What do you want?" Natsu snarled. It was taking every ounce of control he had not to leap across the room and throttle the little man.

"Your earlier rundown of my plan was correct. I planned to kill the happy lovers to ensure my power was secured. However, there's more to the story. I discovered some particular information regarding that man's past," the Boss nodded his head in Gray's direction, "—that made it more than a necessity to kill him."

"His past?" How did Gold Pistol know about that? The background report he had given Natsu was full of errors and false information. There was nothing regarding Gray's past with the Russian Mafia. Did Gold Pistol uncover something even Ichiya didn't discover? That would be impossible.

"As you and I both know, the Underworld is fueled by three cravings: power, money, and blood. Though those who stalk in the Underworld crave all three, most remained starved for the first two. There's a system to maintain, after all." Gold Pistol snapped his fingers and the mercenary closest to him walked up and produced a light. Natsu watched as the Boss pulled a cigar from his breast pocket, and bit the end. He waved the man away once the cigar was lit and continued on. "Yet, those, like myself, who have obtained the power and money needed to feed the thousands of hungry wolves that work for us somehow. Luckily, blood is a cheap craving to feed. The Bosses give their wolves prey to kill, and everyone is satisfied." He exhaled a stream of smoke and started cackling again. "Well, even though you practically bathed in it, your craving for blood was never sated, Salamander."

"Get to the point!" Natsu snapped. Standing here, chatting like this wasn't helping anyone. Every second was making the situation more hopeless than it was to start with. There was no telling how much longer Juvia had left. Lucy was still in danger and Natsu's self-control was barely hanging on. Despite his insistence on urgency, Gold Pistol just stared at him, taking a long drag of his cigar. Natsu bit the inside of his cheek hard enough to draw blood. There was no more time to waste.

"Patience, Salamander. Don't rush me." He flicked the tip of his cigar with a ring adorned finger, sending ashes floating to the floor. "For the most savage in our world, blood can also be a means to obtain the other two cravings."

"Yeah," Natsu rolled his eyes, irritated with the man's desire to talk his ear off with things he already knew. "If someone kills a Boss or someone else in power, then that person can take his position in the Underworld. That method doesn't always work though. It's a gamble, and not many people succeed. Power and money are a double-edge sword. Someone would be an idiot if that person thought having either or them would keep someone safe. They make those possessing them targets. What are you getting at?"

Gold Pistol smiled, his cigar burning between his teeth. "Eighteen years ago, before I obtained the title of Boss, I hatched a plan to acquire the power I sought. You see, I knew the Russian Mafia's main source of income came from their dealings on the Black Market. The wolf I wanted to catch was someone that was notorious for obtaining and selling priceless items. It was a simple matter of implanting a rare painting in a town and spreading the rumors of its appearance. I hired members of Phantom Lord and sent them to that place with instructions to kill this person on sight."

Lyon mumbled, "Eighteen years ago...but that's when..."

This was the first reaction Natsu had seen from the rival Boss after Juvia had been shot. What was Gold Pistol talking about? And why was Lyon interested in what happened eighteen years ago?

"Thankfully, the members of Phantom Lord only crave money and blood. Which meant," Gold Pistol took another long drag of his cigar and puffed out bits of smoke. "For the right price, anyone can be killed and his power can become yours. Even if the person is one of the leaders of the Russian Mafia."

"Ur." Lyon moved jerkingly, standing slowly as he turned toward Gold Pistol. The mercenary standing next to Natsu and Lyon shifted his attention to the rival Boss. Natsu watched him warily as well. There was a cold tension emitting from him that Natsu didn't like.

Ichiya's report had revealed that Lyon wanted to avenge the death of his mentor, the once infamous Ur Milkovich. She was known throughout the Mafia Underworld by her alias, Snegurochka—Snow Maiden. Her beauty was largely praised, but that was the only fair aspect about her. She was as cold and harsh as the domain she ruled over. As one of the three leaders of the Russian Mafia, Ur was a formidable foe no one wanted to cross.

"Before I killed my sister, I thought I could obtain the power I wanted by killing the ice queen herself, Ur Milkovich."

"The members of Phantom Lord were no match for Ur," Lyon spat, glaring at Gold Pistol. "They couldn't kill her, so they butchered innocent people instead!"

"Mercenaries," Gold Pistol shrugged and flicked away more ashes. "They're brutes. What can you do? So, what if a few people died? They could have killed the whole town and I wouldn't have cared as long as they did the job I paid them to do."

"THAT WAS THE MASSACRE THAT KILLED OUR PARENTS!" Gray and Lyon yelled together.

All of this madness had begun because of one man's desire for power. Stories like this one were not uncommon in the realm the mafia operated in. It was one of its many dark truths. The deaths of Gray's and Lyon's parents were mentioned in Ichiya's report, but it hadn't contained this level of detail. Natsu looked from Lyon to Gray to Gold Pistol. They had been connected since long ago.

"They died in vain, because Ur's death didn't provide me the power I wanted," The Mafia Boss sighed. "By this time, my sister had united the many gangs of the Italian mafia and became their leader. Even though I failed with Ur, I saw my chance to obtain the power I desired through my sister. Marcella had done the hard part for me by assembling the gangs together. I just had to kill her and take the power I craved."

Gray glared daggers at Gold Pistol from across the room. His hands and clothes were stained with Juvia's blood and Natsu could see his body was trembling. He could image what was going through his head. This man had orchestrated the event that had led to the deaths of his parents. It was that event that had sent Gray into the madness of revenge, leading him to the same dark world Gold Pistol sought to reign over.

"You didn't get the power you wanted either! It was Juvia who inherited her mother's influence. You killed your own sister for your greed and made Juvia grow up without her mother!" Gray yelled. "You made her suffer so much for nothing!"

"An eight year old!" The Boss yelled back. "The damn fools gave all that power to an eight year old! If she wasn't so heavily guarded, I would have killed her then. Do you even know how hard it was always pretending to be the kind, understanding uncle?"

"I spent all those years searching for the monster who took everything away from me! All along it was a fucking bastard like you! My parents. Lyon's parents. The most important people in our lives died that night!" Gray looked away from the Mafia Boss and down at Juvia. She was so pale and her pulse was barely there. He didn't want that man to take another precious person from him. But he wondered how would Juvia react when she found out that her own family member was the one responsible for taking away her mother.

"Tsk," Gold Pistol blew out a cloud of smoke and dropped the remainder of his cigar, letting it smolder on the ground. "You're forgetting one more person on that list, boy. The main reason I need you dead is because of her too. Eight years ago, I was in Russia and heard whisperings about someone looking for revenge on the massacre that had happened ten years prior. I'm not the type that likes any loose ends fraying in the wind, so I sent some of the Phantom Lord members I had working for me to investigate."

"Those men came from you?" Gray paled further, as if reliving the scene in his mind.

"I went to the warehouse where they had found the vengeful spirit and couldn't believe what I was seeing. There she was, the Snegurochka. She wasn't dead like I had been told, but alive! She had killed the mercenaries and looked as fearsome as ever." The greedy little man seemed to be delighting in the spectacle before him as he recounted his tale. Natsu had a feeling he wasn't going to like what Gold Pistol was about to say.

"And there you were." Gold Pistol smiled at Gray, the sight unnerving Natsu. "From where I was standing, I could see the desire for revenge in your eyes. You wanted blood and you wouldn't stop at nothing to get it. You even aimed your gun at the Snegurochka. I thought for sure she would kill you. She had killed other men for lesser crimes. Yet, she dropped her gun and told you to kill her to sate your thirst for revenge."

"Ur…" Lyon clenched his fists together, shaking with emotion. "You bastard!" He yelled at Gray. "I remember. I remember it all! That's when you took the shot and killed her!"

"Is that what you think happened, Sub-Zero Emperor?" Gold Pistol laughed.

Lyon whirled to Gold Pistol, his eyes blazing. "Of course it is! I was there and saw it with my own eyes." The rival Boss jabbed a finger in Gray's direction. "He didn't even hesitate. He pulled the trigger and murdered our mentor! I was foolish enough to let him live after I saw what he had done, out of respect for our time together with Ur. I thought the bastard was dead until I received notice he was alive a month ago. And when I found out he was worming his way to Juvia, there was no way I was going to sit back and let him kill another person I cared about. But because of YOU...Juvia...she's about to die! I'm going to lose another person I love!"

"Lyon…" Gray trailed off.

At this, Gold Pistol burst into laughter. The cackling sound grated against Natsu's ears as it filled the room. The mercenaries around them were quick to join in. On and on and on they went, laughing at some joke no one else knew. Finally, the laughter died down.

"Oh ho!" Gold Pistol wiped away fake tears as he breathed heavily to calm himself down. "This is priceless! I didn't think it could get any better, but I even surprise myself."

"What's so funny Gold Pistol? Enough with your stories and games!" Natsu growled.

"I knew the Sub-Zero Emperor was fond of Juvia after they met years ago, so I was the one that passed the information along about Gray to him. I thought he would get rid of Gray because he saw him as a love rival. While he was busy doing that, I had instructed these mercenaries to kill my niece. I was going to pin everything on the Russian Mafia and my hands would be clean. I only hired you, Salamander, to keep up my appearances as a concerned and doting uncle. Yet, I didn't know the Sub-Zero Emperor was also one of Ur's pupils and that the two of them," he waved his gun between Lyon and Gray, "—had their own personal history together."

"All along, you were using me as a distraction so you could kill Juvia?" Lyon's cold bloodlust emitted off him and Natsu found himself shifting to a defensive position.

"That's not even the best part!" The Italian Boss just laughed some more. "You always prided yourself for your intelligence. You thought you were so much smarter than me and all the other Bosses, but you couldn't even see how ignorant of the situation you were. You are as blind now as you were eight years ago. You thought you saw your friend kill your mentor, but you were so wrong. That boy never even pulled the trigger. He was weeping like a baby and frozen by his own conflicting emotions. I couldn't have the Snegurochka discovering it was _I_ who tried to kill her and come after me in the future, so I took out my gun and," he lifted his pistol and aimed it directly at Lyon as he stomped on the remains of his cigar. "BAM! I KILLED UR MILKOVICH!"

Lyon let out a battle cry, launching himself at Gold Pistol. Natsu reacted instantly. He swiped his gun from the mercenary's grasp, aimed and fired. With a cry of shock, Lyon dropped to the ground just in front of Natsu. _Seven bullets left_ , Natsu thought.

"LYOOON!" Gray yelled.

Natsu stared down at the rival Boss, feeling nothing after what he had just done. Lyon had lived with the knowledge that his best friend had killed his mentor. That type of betrayal would eat at a person's heart. He had almost killed Gray for a crime he hadn't even committed. Yet, none of that mattered to Natsu. The man had almost killed Lucy and he needed to pay.

"Lyon…" Gray trailed off, staring at the body of his blood brother.

"Salamander?" Gold Pistol's voice held an unnecessary threat.

The mercenary near him moved to attack Natsu, but Natsu held out his hand, returning his gun to the man. "If Lyon attacked you, these mercenaries would take it as a cue to start firing. I won't put Lucy in any more danger."

"You should come out of retirement Salamander." The Mafia Boss twirled the ends of his moustache, laughing as he watched the scene. "We could do wonderful things together."

"I've listened to your stories long enough. Now, tell me what you want from me."

"Very well, Salamander. It's simple. Like I told you before, I don't like any loose ends." His eyes slid back to Gray. "Just kill him and then you and your Juliet are free to go."

"Why do you want me to kill him? You have Phantom Lord here to do your dirty work." Natsu kept his facial expressions under control though his mind was racing frantically. _Kill the princess?_ If he did that, then he could get Lucy out of here safely. Yet, it would break his promise to her at the same time. _Damn it, Gold Pistol!_

"Aren't you a fan of Shakespeare? Romeo kills Tybalt, after all," the Boss chuckled. "It's not like you haven't killed a man before, Salamander, but if you can't hurt Juliet's precious friend, well...this story always did have more than one tragedy written into it."

 _So, he wants me to kill Gray because of his love of the dramatics._ Natsu restrained himself from reacting to the Boss' threats. Instead, he turned to the mercenary to get his gun back again. The man smirked as he pointed Natsu's gun at him. Natsu glared at the man, wanting nothing more than to beat this person to a pulp. He still had no idea how to save everyone. Gold Pistol had made it clear. Kill Gray and save Lucy or don't kill Gray and both of them die. He was going to have to break his promise.

"I thought the infamous Salamander would be more fearsome than this," the mercenary sneered, still pointing the gun at him.

"After I finish things with your Boss, I can show you just how fearsome I can be," Natsu said, narrowing his eyes.

"Oops." The man released the cartridge of Natsu's gun, causing the bullets to drop to the floor. The mercenaries surrounding him burst into laughter; Gold Pistol laughing louder than anyone.

Irritated, Natsu snatched his gun from the man and bent down to retrieve the bullets. Luckily, they didn't all roll far from him. As he plucked them off the ground, Natsu imagined himself reloading the eight bullets into the gun and then emptying them into the man's face.

 _Wait, eight?_ _I shot Lyon so there should only be seven._ Natsu paused as he held the eighth bullet. Etched into the bullet was a symbol he knew well. It meant he had a way out of this hellhole. It meant he could save Lucy, Gray, and Juvia and keep his promises. The relief that flooded through him nearly knocked him over.

The mercenary raised his eyebrows and smirked when Natsu looked up at him, then turned on his heel and walked to stand with the other members of Phantom Lord. Natsu placed the final bullet in the cartridge and snapped it back into his gun. He stood and rolled his shoulders, shaking off the uncomfortable feeling of dread. Gold Pistol and his mercenaries wouldn't be laughing for long.

"Well, Gold Pistol," Natsu said, walking toward Gray. "I have to thank you."

"Oh ho?" The Boss grinned. "And why is that, Salamander?"

"I've been wanting to kill this guy since I've met him," Natsu smirked at Gray, stopping in front of him. "Now, you've given me the excuse I've been looking for."

From this close, Natsu could see Juvia's condition clearly. She had been shot on her left side, closer to her hip. There was too much blood to determine anything else. He could detect a light rise and fall of her chest, indicating she was still alive. A surge of hope filled him. Imagining how sad Lucy would be if the girl died made his heart twinge.

There were two members of Phantom Lord directly behind Gray and Juvia. The wreckage of Lyon's ball laid strewn further behind them. Since no one had returned to investigate Lyon's whereabouts, Natsu assumed that everyone had long since fled the building. Mafia wolves were loyal because they feared their Boss, but the fear of death made even the loyalest members deserters. He hoped that was the case. It would makes things more difficult than they already were if Lyon's people were still in the building.

"So, you really are the Salamander," Gray glared at Natsu as he settled Juvia to the floor and stood in front of her. "I never expected a demon like him to be a flamebrain like you."

"I kicked your ass once, do you really want another beating today?" Natsu sighed.

"I thought you were serious when you said you kept your promises," the princess said, shifting into a fighting stance. "It seems you're just full of hot air."

"I went easy on you last time we fought, but I won't make that mistake twice." Natsu smirked, aiming his gun at Gray. "And I told you before, but it seems your head is too thick with ice, princess. I always keep my promises."

Shifting his arm slightly to the right, Natsu took out one of the mercenaries behind Gray. Gray reacted by throwing his body over Juvia, using himself as a shield. Natsu tossed his gun to his left hand and took out the second mercenary, not even aiming at the princess.

"Salamander!" Gold Pistol yelled, his eyes bulging out of his head.

"Take Juvia to the extraction point I told you about earlier." Natsu took out another mercenary as he spoke. "There's a boat tied to the docks outside the prison. Take it and go!"

"What are you doing?! Lucy—"

"Lucy is my concern! Juvia is yours! Go! We'll cover you!" As Natsu spoke, the mercenary that had taken his gun earlier turned and started attacking members of his own guild.

"KILL THEM, YOU IDIOTS!" Gold Pistol bellowed, aiming his gun at Lucy. Natsu merely smiled as he turned and watched Gold Pistol pull the trigger.

"You can't kill anyone without bullets," Natsu stated, watching as the other members of Phantom Lord aimed and tried to fire their guns, but nothing happened. Emptying the bullets from his gun, adding the eight bullet, both were messages for Natsu. This information turned the tables, allowing Natsu to act. "Do you want a fucking red carpet, princess? Get the hell out of here before I shoot you!"

"Protect Lucy! If she gets hurt, I'll kill you!" Gray scrambled to his feet, scooping up Juvia and heading to the exit. "And another thing," he yelled over his shoulder. "Show that bastard hell!"

"As if I need you telling me what to do," Natsu scoffed, striking another mercenary down. His focus shifted from Gray and back to Gold Pistol who still kept trying to shoot Lucy. The sight drove him crazy. His thoughts were full of the many ways he would torture Gold Pistol as he made his way toward him.

"We don't need guns to kill you!" The mercenaries dropped their guns and charged toward them, but Natsu had been waiting for this. His rage had been patient enough.

There were seven members of Phantom Lord left. Three members ran toward Natsu; one battled with the rogue mercenary, leaving the final three to capture Gray and Juvia. Natsu aimed his gun at the men that were after Gray and Juvia, but the rogue mercenary stopped him. He had already taken out the man he was dealing with and shook his head to stop Natsu from pulling the trigger.

"They're fine," he said.

One of the men chasing after the pair broke away from the trio to block their path. Gray looked back and the mercenary yelled something at him that made his eyes go wide. He faced forward again, clutched Juvia tighter and disappeared through the exit. The other rogue mercenary started fighting his former guild members. The fight was quick, leaving him as the victor.

Natsu placed his gun in the inside pocket of his jacket and cracked his neck. It was finally time to let loose. The first mercenary to reach Natsu swung out his fists. The rage inside of him was a song in his blood, and he let it control his movements. Natsu easily dodged his attacks, breaking the man's guard to deliver a punch of his own. When his fist met with the man's jaw, Natsu heard the distinct sound of bone shattering. The mercenary made a strangled sound as he dropped to his knees, his hands fluttering over the wreckage of his face. Natsu gripped the man's hair, forcing his head back before slamming it down on the ground, knocking him out.

"Who's next?" Natsu asked, cracking his knuckles. His blood was pumping in his veins, his rage wanting to rampage more. The other two mercenaries looked at one another and decided to attack Natsu together. _Smart, but pointless_. Shifting his stance, Natsu prepared for the assault.

The rogue mercenary near him flipped in the air and landed in front of Natsu, standing on his hands. He winked at Natsu as he launched himself backwards, his feet striking the two men in the face. The force of his attack knocked the men backwards. The rogue mercenary stood on their bloody faces, his arms outstretched as if he were a gymnast that had just stuck his landing.

"They were mine!" Natsu stared at the unconscious forms of the mercenaries. His rage felt cheated since he didn't get to fight them.

"Oh, don't be upset. I couldn't let you have all of the fun," the man let out a girlish giggle. "Besides, shouldn't you be more concerned with rescuing your friend?"

Natsu grumbled some obscene things under his breath as he stalked past the mercenary toward the Mafia Boss. Gold Pistol still kept pulling the trigger of his gun, but once he saw Natsu coming toward him, he froze. Sweat dripped down his fat cheeks, as his beady eyes frantically searched around the room for a way out of this situation. Natsu grinned, loving the way the little man resembled a frighten animal.

"Not another step closer or I'll carve up her pretty face!" Gold Pistol tossed his gun aside and pulled out a knife instead. He held it against Lucy's throat as he glared menacingly up at Natsu.

"Get your fucking hands off her," Natsu spoke low, feeling the killing calm settle over him. The last time someone pulled a knife on Lucy, Natsu had shattered the man's wrist. This time, he wasn't going to be as kind.

Lucy had called him a monster, and she was right. What Gold Pistol had done was monstrous, indeed. But Natsu knew just how dark this world was. Gold Pistol was a greedy man consumed by his lust for power, but there were people worse than him. He was just glad that Lucy would never have to know that wolves and monsters weren't the most terrifying things lurking in the Underworld.

"You two," Gold Pistol ignored Natsu, looking at the two rogue mercenaries. "I don't know how much the Salamander has offered to pay you to betray me, but I'll double the amount. No, triple it! JUST KILL HIM!"

The two men looked at one another and smiled. They reached up and started tugging at the skin on their necks. Gold Pistol watched in horror as the men pulled their faces off and tossed them on the ground.

"Surprise!" A girl with long pink hair and bright green eyes shouted, sticking her tongue out at Gold Pistol. "We weren't ever working for you in the first place, fatty."

"Meredy, you're acting like a child," the woman standing next to Meredy sighed. She had warm brown eyes and perfectly straight black hair.

"You're always so serious, Ultear," Meredy giggled again. "Lighten up or you're going to turn into Natsu."

"Both of you, shut up!" Natsu snapped. He breathed out through his nose, trying to calm himself down.

"Who—Who are you?" Gold Pistol stammered.

"Forget about them." Natsu waved his hand as if to shoo the two women away. "Gray and Juvia are out of your reach. Your mercenaries have been dealt with. So, now, you only need to focus on one thing."

The Boss flicked his eyes back to Natsu, his grasp tightening on the hilt of his blade. "And what's that?"

"Making sure you make the right choice," Natsu smirked. "Choice number one: Let Lucy go without harm and I promise I won't kill you. Choice number two: Hurt Lucy and I promise I won't kill you even if you beg me to. So, what will it be?"

Gold Pistol took in the bodies of his men strewn across the area. The two women standing there had easily taken on the mercenaries and defeated them. He looked toward the exit where Gray and Juvia had gone through, knowing they weren't coming back and no back up would be coming to his aid. His gaze travelled to the Sub-Zero Emperor, remembering how quickly Natsu had taken him out. Finally, he stared up into the eyes of the Salamander. There was no way he was about to take on a demon of the Underworld.

The knife clattered to the floor and Gold Pistol released Lucy. He waddled backwards, holding his hands up in surrender. "Salamander," he called out, awkwardly smiling in his direction. "I never meant your Juliet any harm. She's a nice girl. Sweet girl." He laughed, still backing away from Natsu.

Natsu knelt over Lucy and checked her pulse. It was strong and she was still breathing. There were bruises and cuts all over her, but she seemed to be alright. He smiled down at her as he brushed hair off her face.

"She's all safe and sound just like you asked. And I know you, you always keep your promises, Salamander."

"Don't worry." Reaching into his breast pocket, Natsu pulled out his gun. "I promise not to kill you." He took one look at Gold Pistol and fired. The bullet hit the man in his right arm, but it did the trick. The Mafia Boss collapsed and struck the floor with an almost comically rubbery sound. Meredy let out a whistle as she went over and nudged the man with her foot.

"Those Mystogan bullets certainly come in handy," she said, smiling back at Natsu.

Mystogan bullets were a special tranquilizer bullet created to subdue enemies one didn't want to kill. It looked like a regular bullet, but that was where the similarities between the two ceased. Upon impact, the bullet would only pierce the skin of the target, exploding fake blood. At the same, it would inject the person with a powerful tranquilizer that would render someone unconscious immediately. The trick was to shoot the target to make it seem like a fatal shot had taken place, otherwise, it would ruin the deception of death. However, since Natsu wasn't trying to deceive anyone, shooting Gold Pistol in the arm would do.

Ultear reached into her suit pocket and pulled out a phone, holding it up to her ear. "Got it. Thanks," she said, as she hung up the phone. "I received confirmation that Gray Fullbuster and Juvia Lockser have made it to a nearby hospital. There's no word on Juvia's condition though." She lightly tossed the phone to Natsu and he caught it. "The address is in there. We'll meet you there after we take care of things here."

"You can do what you want with Lyon and these Phantom Lord members." Natsu looked at the screen and memorized the address before tucking the device into his pocket. "I'll send you an address where you can drop Gold Pistol off."

"Gold Pistol?" Ultear asked, arching her brow. "I thought you promised you weren't going to kill him?"

"Don't remind me," he grumbled, irritated that he couldn't do what he wanted to do to the little man. His rage was still thrashing inside of him, but his desire to get Lucy out of this place was stronger. "Don't worry about it, just take him there."

Natsu lifted Lucy into his arms, holding her tightly. Meredy stepped closer to Lucy, tilting her head to the side."That girl—"

"Is none of your concern." He growled threateningly, then turned to walk away.

"But—"

"Meredy," Ultear stopped the girl from saying anything further. "We have a job to do. Get started on it."

Meredy sulked away, pulling out a phone of her own and started calling in their support. In a few hours, it would be like none of the awful events had ever occurred. The damage would be cleared away. The Phantom Lord members would be taken into custody, as well as the Sub-Zero Emperor and the few remnants of his subordinates. Tours would resume in the Doge's Palace, with no one the wiser that this place had been a gateway to the Underworld.

"Natsu," Ultear called after him.

"You don't have to say it." Natsu paused, but didn't look back. "I messed up, I know." He looked down at Lucy, seeing the hell he had put her through. "But it won't happen again."

* * *

 **A/N:**

Hello loves!

Here's the promised chapter for this month! I hope you enjoyed it. ;D

As always, I want to thank the lovely betas who helped polish this work. Thank you to Edo-Salandria, PerchanceADream, and Pondfrost! You ladies really came through and helped me a lot. Thanks so much!

I checked the word count and this is my longest chapter! O.o Which is really surprising to me because I had such difficulty writing it. X.x This month started off with a horrible case of writer's block. Luckily, I was able to overcome it, but it was so annoying. I wanted to write more chapters, but it didn't happen. I'll aim to do that next month. :D

As always PLEASE let me know what you think of the new chapter or the story in general! Your reviews are HUGE inspirations for me and mean a lot! Thank you all for being patient and still sticking with me as well! All my love!


	20. Chapter 20

Gray felt an inner gravity pulling on his mind, trying to submerge him back into the state of murky unconsciousness. He was hovering over the line between sleep and wakefulness, which would explain why his body felt like nothing but a lump of flesh, immoveable as a stone at the bottom of the ocean. He tried opening his eyes and force himself awake, but could only manage cracking them to slits. His vision was hazy, making the things he saw a mess of blurred shapes and various shades of white he couldn't comprehend. A strange beeping noise seemed to be coming from above. Or was it below? When he took a breath, the air felt sterile, like it was too clean. It was hard to make sense of anything, so he closed his eyes again.

Instead of drifting back into the oblivion of a dreamless sleep he had momentarily awoken from, random images started flashing in his mind. They went too fast for him to understand, like he was watching a reel of film speed through each frame, turning everything into a blur of color and sound. He peered closer at the images, trying to force them to slow down so he could discern their meaning—if they even had one at all.

Suddenly, there was a tug-of-war going on inside of Gray's mind. It seemed half of him kept trying to coax his mind back into unconsciousness—almost like it feared the images. Shadowy hands grabbed at him, insistently tugging him away. The other half pulled at his mind with a sense of urgency toward the flashing frames, imploring him to figure out their message. Gray's curiosity won out in the end as he brushed away the tendrils of sleep from his mind and focused his full attention on the images racing one after the other. The longer he stared at them, the more sense they started to make. Then, he realized they weren't random images at all. They were his memories. The images slowed and he finally saw what part of him had been so adamant against remembering.

* * *

Gray gripped Juvia tighter, racing through the Grand Chamber Hall of the Doge's Palace in an endeavor to escape this hellhole and save her. Each breath he took felt like he was breathing in sharp fragments of glass that scraped against his insides. His vision was bleary, his muscles were jelly and his body felt close to collapsing. Pain claimed every inch of him, but he kept on running.

As he ran, his mind kept jumping from Gold Pistol, to Lyon, and finally, to Lucy, making his heart swirl in a mixture of emotions. He wanted nothing more than to kill Gold Pistol for all that he had done. He was the reason Lyon and him had lost their families. Even Juvia lost her mother because of that monster. Gray still blamed himself for Ur's death—if it weren't for him, she never would have been in that situation in the first place. Yet, knowing that Gold Pistol was the one that had pulled the trigger made Gray's heart loathe the Boss even more.

Fury still raged inside of him against Lyon for all that he had done. He had kidnapped and abused Lucy, planning on killing her just to make him suffer. Gray would have gladly let Lyon kill him, allowed his blood brother to have the revenge he desired; but after the torment he put Lucy through and what he had done to Juvia...he could never forgive him. Yet despite his rage, Gray mourned Lyon's death. He mourned him for the memory of what Lyon had meant to him.

Gray glanced back, looking over his shoulder and spying the crumpled form of Lucy in front of Gold Pistol. The emotion that twisted his heart the most was the guilt he felt as he escaped. He had dragged his dearest friend into this world, and now he was leaving her behind. Lucy had been the one redeeming factor in his new life. They connected through their art, and over the past five years, she had been one small light in his desert of darkness. He wanted to help her, pick her up and take her far away from the Mafia Underworld and the wolves and monsters that prowled there. But, he couldn't focus on that now.

 _'Lucy is my concern! Juvia is yours!'_

Gray didn't know how Natsu had done it, but he had given him the chance he needed to save Juvia. He felt terrible for leaving Lucy behind, but remembering the ferocity Natsu displayed in his desire to protect her, he had to trust that she would be alright, that Natsu would keep his promise.

 _Juvia needs me._

Gray snapped his attention away from Lucy when he noticed he was being chased. There were three members of Phantom Lord closing in on him as he urged his body to move faster. One member of Phantom Lord broke away from the others and stood in his comrades' path, as if he was blocking them.

"The Ospedale SS. Giovanne e Paolo! It's the closest hospital. Don't look back! Keep running and save her, Gray!" The mercenary yelled over his shoulder at Gray, but that voice...It didn't sound like it belonged to a man at all. In fact, it sounded extremely familiar.

Gray's mind was completely blank as he sprinted to the boat Natsu had mentioned. His body moved on autopilot, fueled by his desire to save Juvia. He placed her as gently as he could on the speedboat and tried not to look at the blood covering her or how pale her skin looked. A boat covering was folded in the corner and he tucked that around her delicately, trying not to jostle her too much. The keys were taped under the seat, grabbing them, Gray twisted them into the ignition, causing the boat to roar to life.

But where was the hospital the mercenary had mentioned? Gray wasn't as familiar with Venice as he was with Rome or Florence. He had only been here a couple times for clients, but he had never needed to go to the hospital. His thoughts were anxious as he considered all the possibilities of him taking the wrong route. He couldn't afford that. Not with Juvia's life at stake.

"Damn it!" He swore, looking around in desperation for a sign that would lead him in the right direction.

Despite the lateness of the night, there were still couples or small groups strolling the streets. Most looked like tourists, or drunk men stumbling back home from a night of partying. None of them looked like they would be able to offer any help. A soft humming sound drifted to his ear, making Gray turn toward the water. A gondolier was pushing his gondola along the water, coming up beside his boat. He locked eyes with Gray, nodding his head in greeting. Gray reacted, reaching out and grabbing the gondolier to drag him onto the speedboat. The man's eyes went wide in fear, struggling against Gray's grip and speaking rapidly in Italian.

"Ospedale SS. Giovanne e Paolo!" Gray shook the man, trying to get him to understand. "Ospedale SS. Giovanne e Paolo!"

The gondolier still shook with fear, but his eyes widen even further when he took note of the blood covering Gray and then Juvia in the back of the boat.

"Morte!" The man breathed, looking at her. Gray only knew a few words in Italian, but he understood what that one meant. The word clanged through him, making his chest constrict painfully.

"NO!" He yelled at the man. "Juvia's not dead! Ospedale SS. Giovanne e Paolo!"

The man looked into Gray's eyes and then nodded his head, finally understanding what Gray wanted him to do. "Si. Si. Si. Ospedale SS. Giovanne e Paolo!"

Gray let go of the man, going back to check on Juvia as the gondolier stepped behind the wheel. Leaving his gondola behind and directing the boat up the Rio de Palazzo de Canonica, the man raced through the maze of canals of Venice. The city hurtled past them, the gondolier expertly guiding the speedboat to their destination. He whipped past his fellow gondoliers, the slow-moving water buses and water taxis still ferrying tourists, ignoring the angry shouts of protests hurled in his wake. It seemed Gray's own desperation was fueling the man's manic driving, as they turned corners sharply and kept going faster and faster.

The gondolier pushed the boat to its limits as he sped up the Calle Cavallerizza Castello. "Qui!" The man pointed ahead to an arched entrance where a yellow and red boat was docked. "Qui! Qui! Qui!" The man repeated. It was only when he started to slow the boat down did Gray understand. This was the Ospedale SS. Giovanne e Paolo. He scooped Juvia in his arms again, holding her close to him as he leapt from the boat onto the landing, not even bothering to waste time for it to come to a complete stop. The man was shouting something after him in Italian, but Gray could barely hear him over the pounding of his own heart––not like he could have understood the words anyway. Gray offered up his silent thanks to the gondolier as he raced through the automatic doors and started screaming.

"HELP HER!" Gray cried out the moment he was inside the hospital. "SAVE HER!" He repeated those two phrases over and over again as he raced down the hallway, coming out into a lobby area. The faces of strangers all turned his way, eyes wide in shock. It seemed like time had stopped. No one moved; no one breathed. Everyone just stared.

"SAVE HER!"

Time snapped back into motion. Large men in scrubs rushed a gurney toward them; one of the men took Juvia from Gray's arms and placed her gently on it. A petite, female doctor raced to the gurney and peeled back the boat tarp.

"She's been shot," Gray explained. _Because of me._ He finished in his head, reliving the third most terrifying moment in his life. Twice, people he loved had died trying to protect him. He couldn't do it again. He couldn't just watch as another person sacrificed her life to save his. His parents. Ur. Their deaths haunted him always. He didn't want Juvia to die like them. He wasn't worth her life. "Juvia…"

The doctor started rapidly shouting instructions at nurses who scurried about to follow them. The woman pointed down the hall and the two men started to rush Juvia away. Gray jogged along the gurney, watching as they removed her wig and mask to place an oxygen mask over her mouth. The doctor turned to Gray, asking him questions he couldn't comprehend.

"...famiglia…"

"Family? Me? No." He replied, picking out the only word he could understand.

One of the men blocked Gray's path, shaking his head as Gray tried to follow after the gurney. "...non famiglia…"

 _Not family._ Gray thought of Gold Pistol and the anger inside of him made his blood run cold. Her only remaining family member had wanted to kill her. Juvia was all alone now, just like he was. He wasn't related to her by blood or by law, but how could those things matter? The fact that he wasn't part of her family hadn't stopped him from caring about her.

Juvia was getting further away and as he made to follow after her again, the man stopped him, repeating what he had said before, but the only words Gray could comprehend were "...non famiglia…"

"Like that fucking matters!" Gray shoved the man, causing him to crash into the wall. He raced to catch up to her, not wanting to let her out of his sight for a second. Gray was afraid that once she disappeared from his view, she would disappear forever. There were too many things he needed to ask her and things he wanted to say. Most of all, she needed to know that he was here—that he wasn't going to leave her. "JUVIA!"

More men came rushing at him, grabbing his arms and trying to restrain him, but Gray continued to struggle against them. He was yelling now, yelling at the men to let him go and yelling to Juvia that he was still here. He shoved another man off of him, raced a few steps, but there were still more hands reaching out for him. His body wasn't strong enough, it had been through too much. He couldn't fight them off and Juvia was getting farther away.

"Calm." The petite doctor was in front of him, her gaze steady and firm as she spoke to him in English, the word heavy with her accent. There was a quiet in her eyes, making Gray feel as if he was staring into the eye of a storm. He stopped struggling. She said some words in Italian and the men holding him back, released him. "Calm," she said to him again.

"Calm?" His body was shaking, like it was trying to resist that word. He reached out and gripped the woman's lab coat, staining it with Juvia's blood. She held up her hand, stopping the men behind him from grabbing Gray again. "CALM? I CAN'T BE FUCKING CALM! JUVIA'S DYING AND I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT! IT'S ALL MY FAULT! SHE—"

He felt a slight pressure in his arm and glanced down to see a needle sticking out of it. Clear liquid was slowly pressed into one of his veins, his blood rushing it throughout his body. He felt the effects of it immediately. His arms went numb and he let go of the woman's coat.

"Please." They just didn't understand. He needed them too. His eyelids felt heavy and the corners of his vision were darkening. The woman nodded to someone behind him as he began to fall. "Please, don't—" The words felt heavy on his tongue, but Gray needed them to know. "Don't let her die."

The tranquilizer coursing through him pushed him to the edge of consciousness. Before Gray was shoved into the void, he heard two words:

"I won't."

* * *

Gray bolted upright and started tugging at the wires and needles stuck to him. The machines monitoring his vitals started screeching in protest. He flung back the covers, but as he stepped off his bed, his body crashed to the floor. Pain laced up his entire body upon impact. His door flew open and a doctor with two nurses entered the room. The doctor was male, speaking to Gray in Italian as he motioned to the nurses to help him move Gray back to the bed.

"Stop!" Gray batted their hands away. His movements were sluggish and awkward. The effects of the medicine had worn off on his mind, but not on his body.

The doctor frowned, instructing one of the nurses to hand him Gray's medical chart, hanging in front of his bed. He looked over the information and shook his head.

"You need to get back in bed," the doctor spoke in English with only a hint of an accent.

"I need to go," Gray managed to say, trying to pull his body across the floor. The pain coursing through him was making it difficult to speak, to think, to do anything. Even breathing was painful. Every breath just made the pain pulsate through his body, like it was a living thing with its own heartbeat. None of that mattered though. He tried to block it all out. There was only one thing important to him and that was getting to Juvia.

The doctor knelt beside Gray, trying to coax him to be reasonable. "You have eight fractured ribs, several bruised organs, lacerations all over your body, not to mention the one at the back of your head which required several stitches. The wounds on your wrists were badly infected too. You're extremely malnourished and dehydrated, on top of having high blood pressure." He handed the clipboard back to one of the nurses. "You need rest. Let your body heal. It's obviously been through quite an ordeal. Wherever it is you need to go can wait until—"

"It can't!" Gray protested, slamming his fist onto the ground. His injuries were nothing compared to what she might be going through. What if Natsu hadn't won against Gold Pistol and that man sent more members of Phantom Lord after Juvia? What if she was being attacked right now? No one was with her that could protect her. He needed to see her to make sure she was okay. He needed to see if she was still al—

Tears dripped down Gray's face. It was his own weakness that had led to Juvia being shot. If he wasn't so weak—so useless, she wouldn't have felt the need to rescue him. He should have been the one to protect her. He should have been the one that was shot. Instead, like his parents, like Ur, she saved him.

"Please," Gray begged, reaching out to grip the doctor's arm. "Please, take me to her. I need to see Juvia."

The doctor's brow crumpled, his eyes scanning over Gray. He passed a hand over his face and nodded. "I don't know if this is a good idea or not," he said, bending to Gray to help him stand and sit on the bed. "But you're obviously not going to stay here and rest like you should. Vitalia—" The doctor broke off and started speaking in Italian. One of the nurses—Vitalia—left the room and came back a moment later with a wheelchair. "Sofia." The other nurse moved to Gray's side and gently lifted his arm to rest across her shoulder. Understanding what they planned to do, Gray shook his head to stop them.

"I can walk." Gritting his teeth, Gray shakingly got to his feet, only barely relying on the doctor's and Sofia's help.

"Your body is still weak," the doctor said, watching as Gray leaned against the bed. "It's a miracle adrenaline alone allowed you to move in your condition, let alone carry that girl all the way here, but it has already gone beyond its limits."

When Gray didn't respond, the doctor sighed heavily, instructing Vitalia to return the wheelchair. "Why are you torturing yourself like this?"

The pain had wrapped its misshapen body around his bones, sharpening its teeth against his muscles, while its claws clutched his organs. Everything hurt. He was one throbbing body of pain. However, he needed to feel this. This suffering was a small means to atone for failing to be strong enough to save Juvia.

"Just show me the way."

With a nod from the doctor, Sofia handed Gray a white loose t-shirt, a pair of light blue cotton pants and some hospital slippers to change into before stepping outside with him. Gray tried his best to hurry and change into the new clothes instead of the hospital gown he was wearing, but his injuries made the process a slow one. Once he finally changed, he shuffled out of his room where the doctor was waiting for him outside the door.

The doctor led him to an elevator that was located three rooms down from his; however, it felt like Gray had walked miles. By the time the elevator doors closed behind him, he was exhausted. The cool walls of the elevator provided some relief as he rested his head against them. The doctor kept frowning in his direction, but he ignored him. This pain was nothing compared to what he had put Juvia through.

The doors opened up, depositing Gray and the doctor to their designated floor. The atmosphere on this floor was vastly different from the floor Gray had woken up on. There was a heaviness that he couldn't quite understand. The doctors and nurses had alert eyes, as if they were absorbing every detail of the patients they cared for. His skin prickled, not liking the place at all.

"What floor is this?" Gray asked, breathily.

"The Intensive Care Unit."

Gray didn't have time to process that information. A male nurse started speaking rapidly in Italian to the doctor, in hushed tones while pointing at Gray. He couldn't understand what they were saying, but their body language made it clear they were arguing about something involving him. It took him a moment, but then Gray realized that the nurse was one of the people that tried to restrain him from following Juvia when he had first come to the hospital.

"...non famiglia…" The male nurse said, looking pointedly at Gray. Those words rang through him, delivering a new kind of pain.

The doctor turned to Gray, his mouth set in a grim line. "He said because you're not family you're not allowed to see her. I thought they would make a special exception, since you were the one who brought her here and all."

"Who said he's not family?"

A man stepped around the corner, wearing a black suit and black sunglasses, undeterred by the fact he was indoors. Gray immediately went into a defensive position, despite his body's protest. The man walked like someone that possessed power or like someone with extreme confidence in his abilities.

 _Is he a member of Phantom Lord or is he a part of the Italian Mafia?_ Gray thought, searching for some clue to see where this man's loyalties laid.

The nurse, the doctor, and the man all started speaking in Italian. It was only when the man said the word "fidanzato" did the other two quieted. The male nurse paled, giving Gray a frightened look. The man smirked and gave the two a dismissive gesture. The men scurried away quickly, causing Gray to be even more confused.

"Sorry about that," the man said. "I was just going to see if you were finally awake and bring you here, but it seems there's no need to now. She's in the room down this hall here."

"Wait, who are you?"

The man didn't answer, he just started walking in the direction he had indicated. Gray ground his teeth together but followed him anyway. At the end of the hall, two other men in similar suits were stationed on either side of a door. Gray recognized them immediately, having been present whenever he was with Juvia before this mess ensued.

 _So, the Italian Mafia is here._ The realization brought some comfort to Gray; however, he wasn't about to let his guard down. As the man and Gray approached the door, the two guards eyed them, their hands shifting to reach the weapons no doubt concealed on them. A nod from the man and the two relaxed.

"After you," the man said, holding the door open for Gray. Gray held his breath as he entered the room, unable to prepare himself if his worse fears were reality. His heart raced faster as he passed through the threshold and stopped completely when the door shut behind him.

Juvia was there, tucked into the white sheets dressing the bed. Wires and tubes were hooked into her, connected to machines on either side of the bed. From this distance, she looked like she was sleeping, but were there dreams in that darkness?

 **Beep.**

 **Beep.**

 **Beep.**

Gray's eyes slid away from Juvia, toward the source of the noise. A machine displayed green peaks that steadily appeared with every 'beep.' He moved to it automatically, looking from the machine to Juvia. There was no explaining the emotion that welled up in his heart.

"She's alive."

The world shifted and a great wave of relief rocked him. The man had entered the room with Gray and moved to place a chair behind him. He collapsed into it, feeling heavy and light at the same time. His vision started to blur again, as tears piled in his eyes, spilling over like two rivers. Gray didn't care if the man saw him like this. Nothing—Nothing mattered at all to him, except the person laying on that hospital bed. Barely alive, but alive nonetheless.

"Juvia…" Gray grasped the sheets as he peered up at her. The tears of joy would not stop. Gray wept, emptying himself of all the grief and despair and guilt that had built up inside of him. He wouldn't have to live through the pain of losing someone else he cared for. He wouldn't have to endure that torment. Juvia would not be added to his list of sins.

 _She's alive. She's alive. She's alive. She's alive. Juvia is alive_.

The mafia member pulled up a chair on the opposite side of the bed and sat down. "The surgeons had to repair minor damage to her intestines. They said the bullet didn't do any other major damage though. They were shocked it missed rupturing any of her organs. The major issue was the amount of blood Juvia lost. Don't worry." He smiled, shaking his head as he saw Gray go pale. "They had enough of her blood type on hand to help replenish the amount she had lost. It's going to take some time, but they expect Juvia to make a complete recovery."

Gray stared at the man across from him. He looked like a member of the Italian Mafia, but now, he had the same voice as the Phantom Lord member who had helped him escape with Juvia. A voice that was most definitely feminine.

"Who are you?" Gray asked.

"Six years ago, you had such devastation in your eyes," the person removed his sunglasses and then his face, shocking Gray. "Now look at you."

Gray stared wide-eyed at the person now sitting across from him. "Ultear!"

"It's been awhile, hasn't it, Sterling?"

After Ur's death, Gray felt cursed. All the people who had cared for him had died because of him. He joined the Russian Mafia, working to drown himself in the darkness he felt he was destined to live in. For two years, he worked in the Underworld, not even caring what happened to him. When Ultear found him, he was just a shell of a person. Yet, she offered him a way out of the Underworld. She offered to help kill Sterling Surge and start a new life in America as Gray Fullbuster.

"The other girl and Natsu are alive and well." Ultear set her disguise aside and leaned in her chair. "Her injuries were only minor, but they decided to keep her here for a day for observation. She's still sleeping, last I heard. The hospital staff were complaining about Natsu though. Some have even compared him to a dragon guarding a princess."

"Lucy! Thank God she's alright!" Another wave of relief hit him. He hadn't lost anyone. This time, he had been lucky.

"It seems the boy I found wallowing in the Underworld, has finally chosen to step into the light." Ultear leaned forward, resting her elbows on the bed. "You've opened your heart to others."

"The light?" Gray shook his head. "I'm still cursed Ultear. Even if I left the darkness, it won't leave me. Because I wasn't strong enough, I couldn't protect the people I care about. I just caused them pain. Juvia...Lucy...I almost got them killed. Just like...my parents and your mother."

Ultear sighed as she stood and walked over to Gray. "You stupid boy." She embraced him, holding him tightly to her. "You didn't kill your parents. You didn't kill my mother."

"But Ultear, because of me Ur—"

"The woman who raised you wasn't my mother." Gray stilled, looking up at Ultear as she pulled away from him. Her hands gripped his shoulders and he could see her eyes were hard. "My mother was one of the three Bosses of the Russian Mafia. She was a cruel, heartless woman that would even abandon her own daughter for power." Ultear scoffed, her eyes hardening at some dark memory. "She was a real bitch of a woman."

"Ul—Ultear?"

"Be quiet," she hushed him softly. "When I was only eight years old, I cut ties with my mother and escaped out of that darkness. It had been twelve years since I had seen her, but the night I heard she died, I was so happy. Though the news was welcomed, I had to know for sure. I came back to my nightmares to see for myself, to confirm with my own eyes that the Snow Maiden was gone. It seemed everyone really believed my mother was dead, but something, call it instinct, or fate or whatever, kept nagging at me. I never met my father. He died before I was born, but he had built a cabin in Siberia that she took me to once. In one rare moment of kindness, she told me it was the only place of light she had left in her life. I went there, drawn to it almost, and was shocked at what I saw.

"A woman that looked like my mother was there, smiling and laughing in a way I knew my mother never would. The woman looked so free, so alive. I couldn't understand what could make her change so drastically. Then, you and Lyon came running out, throwing snowballs at her. You three looked like a little family. When you and Lyon smiled up at her with all that innocent love in your eyes, I knew Ur, the Mafia Boss, was dead. When I left the cabin, I made sure my mother remained dead and kept the darkness from finding that last bit of light." Ultear pulled out a handkerchief and wiped Gray's eyes, even though now, her own eyes were streaming.

 _'Don't let this moment of darkness keep you from smiling again. I love you, Sterling._ '

 _'You and Lyon became my light after a life of darkness. I didn't think I could be happy again or that I deserved it after all the things I have done. I have so many regrets, but you two will never be one. I can't thank you two enough for allowing me to love you. The world took a great deal from you, but don't let it take your heart too. Let yourself smile again.'_

"But it was all my fault! I couldn't let go of my revenge, so I sought out that darkness. I've hurt so many people and I've done terrible things." Gray held his head in his hands as he remembered his mother's and Ur's last words to him. "If I died that night instead of Ur, I wouldn't have hurt all those people. No one would have to suffer because of me."

"I was disappointed to see you and Lyon running around in the Underworld, despite your mentor's efforts to keep you from it. Yet, I knew she wouldn't have given up on you, so neither did I. That's why I offered each of you a chance to escape that place. Lyon ignored my offer, but you took it." Ultear bent down and lifted Gray's head. "If you hadn't made that choice, Juvia would have never been saved."

"What are you saying? Gold Pistol said it himself. He only wanted to kill Juvia because she cared about me. I don't know why he thinks we're engaged, but it was enough to set this into motion." Gray claimed. "It was because of me that Juvia almost died."

"Your engagement was my doing. I needed Gold Pistol to get spooked and make his move." Ultear nodded at Juvia. "Juvia had sent me a report indicating he had been extra secretive lately. She was against it though, because she was embarrassed and didn't want you thinking she made the whole thing up for no reason." Ultear chuckled. "I hadn't realized Gold Pistol had looped in Lyon, and what your mentor's other pupil had in store for you. It was a mistake on my part. I couldn't blow my cover, but I worked on locating your whereabouts to send help. I knew Natsu had been hired, but contact was impossible. However, once I found the general location of your whereabouts, Juvia rushed ahead to save you despite knowing the danger."

"Wait. She's been working with you all this time? So then, did she know about her uncle and that he killed her mother?" Gray asked, amazed by this revelation.

"She knew," Ultear's face darkened a little. "Juvia was hiding in the room when it happened, witnessing the death of her mother at the age of eight. The organization I work for offered her a chance to leave the Underworld, out of respect for the Tempesta, but she chose to stay and fight it. At the young age of eleven, Juvia started helping out my organization by spying on her uncle; but she was never made a member. It's a special relationship we have with her."

"She was there? So, all this time, she's been pretending and living with the man who murdered her mother." Gray watched Juvia for a moment, unable to comprehend the nightmare she had lived through for so long.

"She has some of the same scars as you." Ultear whispered. "The organization really respects her."

"What is this organization? You even know Natsu. Is he a member too?" Gray thought back to when he escaped with Juvia and how Natsu had worked together with Ultear to defeat the Phantom Lord members.

"I can't answer those questions." Ultear's face became void of any emotion, making it clear that questions about whatever organization she worked for were off limits.

"Fine," Gray nodded, dropping it for now. "But can you at least tell me about Natsu? That guy...I don't trust him. He's getting closer to my friend Lucy too. Gold Pistol even called him the Salamander. When we fought and when he killed Lyon—"

"Lyon isn't dead." Ultear cut in.

"What?! But I saw Natsu shoot him. How is that possible?"

"I can't tell you about that either. Just know, he's still alive. And as for Natsu, the only thing you can trust about him, is that he will keep his promises." Ultear climbed off the bed and placed her hand on Gray's shoulder. "He's made a promise to the organization, and if he should break it…" She trailed off and shook her head. "Never mind. You just don't have to worry about him, now."

Even with Ultear's words, Gray couldn't be at ease. There was something off about Natsu and it didn't sit well with him. He was tangled up in too many things. The Mafia. The organization. Natsu was connected to two powerful entities. There was no way he was just an ordinary treasure hunter...

"Your friend, Lucy, is safe. You're alive and so is Juvia. The one responsible for that darkness inside of you, is no longer able to reach you or Juvia or anyone else you care about. You don't have to worry about the Underworld anymore. Rest now. You deserve it." Ultear moved to the other side of the bed and grabbed her disguise.

"You make it sound so easy." Gray muttered.

 _'You can never run from your past...It's attached to you. No matter how far you think you've run, it will find you again. But when it does, you're supposed to be stronger than you were before. If you aren't, it will swallow you and anyone you care about.'_

"I got lucky this time, but what if it something stronger comes and takes everyone I care about again?" Gray asked, remembering Natsu's words. "What if I'm not strong enough to face it? What if next time...someone I care about really does get taken away from me?" And then he whispered, "What if I'm not strong enough to save her?"

"There's more than one way to be strong. There's also more than one way to save someone." When Gray looked unconvinced, Ultear asked, "Why do you think Juvia took that bullet for you?"

"I…" Gray didn't have an answer.

Ultear set down her disguise again and reached over to smooth a lock of hair from Juvia's face. "Juvia once told me, she was afraid of opening her heart to anyone. She felt if she cared about someone, they would be taken away from her again. I tried to encourage her that isolating herself from others wouldn't be what her mother wanted for her, but she wouldn't listen. She kept being afraid of her past repeating itself. Until you came here. You made her heart realize something stronger than fear."

"Something stronger than fear?"

"I've already said too much. When she wakes up, ask her about it." Ultear picked up her disguise and resituated it on her head again. In front of Gray's eyes, Ultear transformed back into a member of the Italian Mafia. If he hadn't seen it, he wouldn't have believed it was her. "It's time for me to go now. I'm happy you have found people who care about you Sterling," Ultear paused and then corrected herself. "No, you're Gray now. And I know your parents and that mentor of yours would be happy too. I can't tell you what to do, but maybe this time, don't be afraid to let yourself be happy."

"Gray…" Juvia breathed his name in her sleep. Immediately, he reached out and grabbed her hand wanting to let her know that he was here.

"Some people claim it takes a great strength to lay down your life for another, but I disagree. Strength has nothing to do with it. I believe, it takes a great love for that kind of sacrifice. Your parents, and your mentor all felt that love for you. And a certain hard-hearted girl. That great love is not easily achieved either. Stop all this talk about deserving darkness, Gray. You're not cursed. You're loved."

Gray felt Juvia's fingers twitch weakly in his grasp. He squeezed her hand gently, in response. When he looked back, Ultear was gone.

 _'You're not cursed. You're loved.'_

Could he do it? Could he let himself know happiness? Could he believe that he wasn't destined for darkness?

Gray didn't have any answers. His world had flipped so many times in such a short period of time, he didn't know what to think. He was still afraid of his past and all that lurked there, but he knew one thing was for certain. Gray felt tears slip down his cheeks as he looked down at Juvia's hand in his. He knew he might be selfish; but, he never wanted to let go of her hand again.

* * *

Ultear nodded to the real members of the Italian Mafia as she exited, indicating Juvia was safe with Gray before she strode to the elevator. She took it down to the floor Gray had been stationed on. She slipped into a utility closet and quickly changed her disguise, switching from a mafia member to a blonde nurse. Leaving the utility closet, Ultear walked down the hall until she reached the private room she knew Lucy was in and entered.

"How was the reunion?" Another nurse sat on the window ledge, an annoyed look on her face as she typed away on her phone.

"Reunion? I merely went to check on an investment." Ultear crossed the room and retrieved the clipboard at the end of the bed.

"You're a horrible liar, Ul." The nurse giggled.

"And you're a horrible nurse." Ultear sighed. "I thought I told you to never break character when you're in disguise, Meredy. What if it wasn't me who walked in here and someone else?"

Meredy set down her phone and smiled at Ultear. She was wearing a light green wig that was shaped into a bob and a similar nurse outfit like Ultear. "I knew it was you. No matter how well you disguise yourself, I can always tell it's you." The phone buzzed again and Meredy groaned.

"Is it headquarters?"

"I wish. Natsu won't stop texting me. He left less than thirty minutes ago, but he wants to know detailed updates on Lucy's condition." Meredy rolled her eyes. "I complained about him before, but I rather preferred the scowling and brooding Natsu to this one." The phone buzzed and Meredy angrily typed back a response. "He needs to finish his errand, so he can bother the real nurses."

"Are you regretting not taking the captain up on her offer? I could have handled this mission by myself." Ultear read through the medical analysis, checking on Lucy's condition.

Meredy scrunched up her face and hopped down from the window sill. "And be the third wheel to that awkward couple? No, thanks." She crossed her arms to form an 'x', shaking her head furiously. "Besides, we're a team!"

Ultear just chuckled as she replaced the clipboard. "Have you submitted the report back to headquarters?"

"I haven't submitted it yet," Meredy rocked on the balls of her feet while responding to another one of Natsu's texts as she spoke. "So far, I wrote that Salvatore Lupo, a.k.a. Gold Pistol, was a false lead. His surge in unusual activity was directly related to a failed attempt to eliminate Juvia Lockser and claim complete control of the Italian Mafia. He also planned to eliminate Gray Fullbuster, formerly known as Sterling Surge, who was a disciple of the late Ur Milkovich, a.k.a. the Snow Maiden. Natsu Dragneel, a.k.a. the Salamander, was hired for his treasure hunting services by Gold Pistol to locate Gray as a means to mask the Mafia Boss's true intentions from the members of the Italian Mafia.

"Lyon Vastia, a.k.a. The Sub-Zero Emperor, the second pupil of the Snow Maiden, was involved in the incident due to Gold Pistol's manipulations. Lyon planned to kill Gray in order to avenge the death of their mentor, whom he falsely believed killed the Snow Maiden. All parties converged at the Doge's Palace, where Juvia was unintentionally shot by Lyon as she pushed Gray out of the path of the bullet. The rest of the report you can pretty much imagine, since you were there. I explained how we took Lyon into custody as well as the few subordinates of his we found unconscious in the building. They're being transferred to headquarters as we speak for the organization's evaluation. The damage report and restoration cost of the Doge's Palace is attached, as well as the documents containing each eye witness report and how the team dealt with them. The Spoils Clause in Natsu's contract will explain why we handed over Gold Pistol to him."

"That's true. Despite admitting to the deaths of the Tempesta and the Snow Maiden, our investigation cleared Gold Pistol of the threat we initially feared. There was no indication that he could be of any use to the organization either, so it all works out." Ultear nodded. "Good job."

"Thanks, writing reports are fun for me." Meredy beamed, but then furrowed her brow like she remembered something unpleasant. "Well, they're usually fun. I can't figure out what to say about her." She paused her texting and looked over at the bed.

"Lucy Heartfilia. " Ultear looked at Lucy, her gaze turning serious. "Claiming I'm shocked to see her here would be an understatement. Thankfully, Gold Pistol nor Lyon were directly after her for reasons we might dread. We're lucky we were already on this case otherwise….Well, I don't want to think about that possibility." She walked over to the empty chair beside the bed and collapsed into it, rubbing her temple. "Give her a false name in the report. There can be no record of her in our database. She's not supposed to exist to us. When we get back to headquarters, we'll personally fill in First though."

"You're right. I'll make the additions to the report." Meredy stated, happily making notes on her phone. She paused her typing, struck by another thought, and looked over at Lucy again. "Um...I know we're not supposed to acknowledge her, but Natsu seems really attached to Lucy. So, shouldn't we do...I don't know...More? Knowing what could happen, is it really okay to just let them stay together?"

Ultear paused, mulling over the situation in her head. "We won't do anything. For now," she finally determined. "You know how Natsu is. The second you tell him he can't have something, it'll make him want it more. He'll wonder why our organization wants to keep a supposedly ordinary girl away from him in the first place, and that might lead him seeking answers we can't afford for him to know."

"It makes me uneasy though, Ul." Meredy leaned against the bed. "If he ever found out," she looked down at her buzzing phone. "We'll have to do what First instructed."

"Yes. I know." Ultear's expression turned grave. "We would have to kill him."

* * *

 **A/N:**

Hello loves!  
Thank you to the wonderful Edo-Salandria and PerchanceADream for being my betas for this chapter! I greatly appreciate all the work and suggestions. APYJCK would not be nearly half as great if it weren't for the betas who help me with the chapters so THANK YOU!

OKAY, so I wanted to get this chapter out as soon as possible for you guys. I know the last wait was horrible. I'm overwhelmed with the amount of positive reviews I've been receiving. I'm so glad you all enjoy my work. 20 chapters already?! There's still so much to reveal to you guys, so thank you for sticking around. It's going to be a rollercoaster of a ride from here on out. Let me know your guesses for what's going to happen next! Well, that's it for now! I'll see you with the next chapter soon! ;D


	21. Chapter 21

**Shut up Natsu.**

Natsu stared at the three words on his phone, getting angrier as he continuously read them. When he told Meredy he wanted detailed updates on Lucy's condition, he meant he wanted _actual_ details. No matter what he asked her, Meredy's responses were undescriptive. Her three-word responses were grinding on his nerves:

 **Lucy is fine.**

 **She's still sleeping.**

 **Stop bugging me.**

 **Leave me alone.**

"Damn you," he muttered under his breath as he texted back a colorful response of his own before shoving the phone into his leather jacket.

When he had left the hospital, Natsu had stopped by Cana's apartment to change. No longer needing a disguise, he got rid of the ridiculous costume he had worn to smuggle himself into Lyon's ball from hell, changing, after a hot shower, into his standard black clothing. His hair was still black, but there wasn't time to change it back to its original pink color. There was an important meeting he needed to get to.

Locking the door behind him, Natsu exited the apartment building toting an usually large black duffle bag. The contents of the bag strained his muscles as he painfully made his way to a small speed boat docked out front. Tossing the duffle bag into the back of the boat, he hopped in and started the engine. The boat roared to life, before he maneuvered it into the busy waterway. Thankfully, Natsu didn't have to weave around the slow boats for long. He directed the boat toward the more secluded areas of the city, areas tourists tended to steer clear of. From there, he headed south-east for an hour until he reached his destination.

The island he arrived at hardly required a second glance. It merely hosted a small strip of beach before becoming a dense cluster of trees in the center. It was too far away from the majority of excitements tourists travelled to the sinking city to enjoy, so there was no point in trying to develop it. It was one of Venice's many scattered islands, abandoned and forlorn; except, this island was special. It wasn't even on the map.

Natsu's feet crunched against the hard packed sand for a few paces before the ground became the smooth stones he knew would lead him to a certain location. There was dense vegetation surrounding the path, concealing it from those unaware of its presence. Natsu had visited this location many times in the past, and walked the path with sure feet all the way to the end where a rundown building stood. The building was once a house, but after being abandoned by the owners a century ago, the island had slowly sought to reclaim it. The roof and second story were completely gone and the eastern wall had collapsed. Vines, weeds, and trees all tumbled over one another to latch onto the stones, cover the floors, and grow between the old tiles.

"If I remember correctly, it should be somewhere around here..." Natsu dragged the duffle bag through the entryway and headed where the kitchen used to be. There were still tiles that covered the floor, cracked and split, with small trees and thick patches of weeds sprouting through. Natsu grabbed his phone and keyed a code into it. The floor began to shift, pulling back to reveal a dark set of stairs, descending deeper into the ground. When his foot hit the first step, lights flickered on the walls, illuminating his way.

Adjusting his grip, he purposely dragged the duffle bag behind him, making sure it bumped against each step. At the end of the staircase was a steel door with an access code panel. Natsu held up his phone to the panel and the door slid back, revealing a large dark space. Like the staircase behind him, the moment Natsu entered the area, lights flickered on and brightened up the room. The room consisted of white walls and high ceilings. The door he had just entered was the only way in or out. Next to the door was a long table with a single remote on it. Natsu swiped it as he entered.

"Almost time." Natsu looked at his watch as he dragged the heavy duffle bag to the center. He dropped the bag and pressed one of the buttons on the remote. A clanking noise sounded from above as a long length of chain descended from the ceiling. At the end of the chain was a pair of manacles. He pulled out the pair of leather gloves he stashed in his jacket earlier and slid them on. Natsu unzipped the duffle bag and grimaced. A strong smell of body odor wafted from the bag, assaulting his nostrils.

"Fucking hell," Natsu swore as he stepped back, pinching his nostrils closed. Grabbing the manacles, he guided them into the bag and secured them around the reeking object while holding his breath. He pressed the button for the second time which activated the mechanism operating the length of chain, causing it to ascend back into the air with the smelly thing attached to it.

Gold Pistol hung upside-down from the chain, the manacles locked tight against his ankles. His pinstripe suit was wrinkled and stained with sweat. The right arm of the suit had a tear in it where the Mystogan bullet had pierced his skin—the fake blood ruining the fabric. The two curls of Gold Pistol's moustache had unfurled, gravity making them hang limp across his reddening face. Over twelve hours had past since the tranquilizer had entered his system. The man would have regained consciousness normally by now, but the effects of the tranquilizer varied depending on the person. Natsu splayed his gloved fingers as he held his hand up before slapping it across the man's face back and forth.

"Rise and shine." Time was running out, and he didn't have time to wait.

The chain rattled as Gold Pistol thrashed into consciousness, sputtering incoherently. A small amount of blood trickled from the man's nose—Natsu had restrained himself enough from breaking it. Gold Pistol gaped, his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, while his fat body wiggled around, making him swing on the chain.

"Wha-What's going on? Wh-Where am I?" Gold Pistol looked like a fat caterpillar spinning on a string. The sight made Natsu chuckle.

"SALAMANDER!" Gold Pistol shouted finally taking notice of Natsu, spit spraying from his mouth as he spoke. "You fucking shot me!" His eyes went wide, nearly bulging out of his head as the little man fumed in anger at Natsu.

"Guilty." Natsu smirked as Gold Pistol squirmed even more, making himself swing from side-to-side like a pendulum.

"You bastard! I've killed people for less! Don't think that you'll get away with that. I'm gonna kill—" Horror scrawled across the Boss's features as he took in the white, windowless walls surrounding him. "This room. This-This is…"

"One of your party rooms." Natsu helped finish for him.

"What the hell am I doing here?! And why the fuck am I hanging from this chain? Get me down!" The chain rattled fiercely as Gold Pistol grew more frantic, trying desperately to lift his hefty body and reach his manacles. When his efforts proved futile, he glared at Natsu standing calmly in front of him."You promised you wouldn't kill me Salamander!"

"Unfortunately," Natsu muttered, his irritation already eating at his patience with the little man. "I'm keeping my promise. You're alive aren't you?"

"Then release me damnit!" The Boss shrieked.

"Ah, sorry GP," Natsu patted his pockets, "I don't have the key and I don't know where it is. The invitation only gave me instructions on how to get in here." He looked at his watch again as he spoke. "Just hang in there. I'm sure the others might know where it is."

"Who's coming?" Gold Pistol's body was drenched in another layer of sweat, as his eyes rove around the room. "You have to let me go. I know what happens here!"

"I guess this isn't exactly a surprise party then." Natsu crossed his arms, drumming his fingers on his arm. "You know, the first time I came here, it was to drop off the treasure you hired me to get for you," he continued, still ignoring the man's question. "I think it was one of those rings you're wearing too. You had a guy hanging from this chain, squirming like you are now. You told me he was the guest of honor. But what kind of party can you throw here? I mean, look at this place," he waved his arm around the bare room. "This wouldn't be my first choice to throw a party. You should have gotten some pointers from Lyon. The Sub-Zero Emperor has a talent for picking venues you know?"

"You know very well what kind of parties are thrown here!" He tried to pull his body up again and reach the manacles around his ankles, but flopped back down, unsuccessful.

"Really?" Natsu scratched his head. "I can't say I've ever attended one. Invitation only."

"GET ME OUT OF HERE!" Gold Pistol screamed, panicking.

"I think he said those same words too!" Natsu snapped his fingers and smiled. "But why do all the guests want to leave?"

The door opened, and thirty men in black suits spilled into the room, forming a circle around Gold Pistol and Natsu. The Boss shook with fear, his eyes darting across the faces of the men, but all wore wolf masks that hid their identities.

"Great." Natsu rolled his eyes. "More masks."

"I see the great Salamander doesn't appreciate the irony." A lean man of average height with a black wolf mask stepped forward to stand next to Natsu.

"That voice. Rocco? Rocco, is that you?" Gold Pistol widened his eyes further, his fear visibly disappearing when the man took off his mask. "Rocco! My loyal subordinate!" The Boss smiled wickedly at Natsu, as he dangled from the chain. "You've done it now, Salamander!" Gold Pistol snarled. "It seems my men have come here to rescue me. Your little moment of victory is over. I don't care if the Underworld thinks you're a demon. YOU'RE DEAD! YOU'RE DEAD SALAMANDER!" The man laughed maniacally. "OH! Why should I stop there? I'm gonna hunt down that pretty little Juliet of yours and show her your head before I put a bullet between her eyes. Well, I'm gonna have some fun with her first. I've been wanting to put that smart mouth of hers to good use!"

Natsu's features darkened. He uncrossed his arms and took a step toward the snickering man. Rocco reached out and grabbed his shoulder, halting him.

"Thank you Salamander for bringing the guest of honor here," Rocco said, ignoring Gold Pistol's orders. "I can't even begin to tell you how long the men and I have wanted to throw this party. It would be a shame if it was over before it even started." His grip tightened on Natsu's shoulder, emphasizing the real meaning behind his words.

"What are you doing? Why aren't you listening you idiots?" Gold Pistol yelled, the fear in his voice making his words shrill. "What the fuck is going on?"

The members of the Italian Mafia didn't even move an inch. They stood there, their eyes all trained on their Boss. Rocco released Natsu's shoulder, stepping past him toward Gold Pistol, his face leveled with his own for once.

"Shhhh." Rocco's voice was light and soft as he tried to calm down his Boss. "Just relax, Lupo."

"L-Lupo?" The Boss sputtered, clearly shocked by Rocco's blatant lack of respect.

"Right." Natsu bit the inside of his cheek hard enough that he tasted blood in order to suppress his anger, his eyes burning holes into Gold Pistol as he imagined what he would do to him if there wasn't a promise protecting the man. "A real shame." Instead of beating the man to death, Natsu bent down and unzipped the large side pocket of the duffle bag and pulled out a piñata stick, holding it out to Rocco. "You'll have to share."

Rocco took the piñata stick and started laughing. "Let it be known that the Salamander _does_ has a sense of humor." He snapped the stick in half and dropped the pieces to the ground. "But we Italians take our parties seriously."

Rocco snapped his fingers and the Mafia members revealed the various objects they carried: golf clubs, crowbars, brass knuckles, baseball bats, pipes, etc. Natsu took in the sight and whistled.

"Since you brought the guest of honor, you can go first." Rocco handed Natsu a metal baseball bat. "Don't hog all the fun though."

Natsu gripped the end of the bat, testing the weight in his hands. The mafia members gave Natsu a wide berth, allowing him to practice his swings. Gold Pistol's eyes went wide as he realized what was going on here. He knew what it meant to be a guest at one of these parties. Looking at the former Boss, Natsu's rage stalked in his veins like an animal waiting to pounce.

"I WAS JUST KIDDING A MOMENT AGO! YOU PROMISED SALAMANDER! YOU PROMISED YOU WOULDN'T KILL ME!" The Boss became even more frantic, making the chain rattle furiously. "I DIDN'T HURT THAT BITCH! YOU PROMISED!"

 _'Gray? Juvia? Are they...they're not…'_ Natsu suddenly recalled Lucy's distressed state when she had first woken up in the hospital right before he had left to come here. Completely battered and covered in bruises, all she cared about were her friends. Once he told her that her friends were okay, that they were recuperating in nearby rooms, she still couldn't relax. _'Lyon! Gold Pistol! They'll come after us. We aren't safe! We can't stay here! We need to leave! What if? What if they're already here. I don't—I don't want to see anyone else get hurt! I DON'T WANT ANYONE ELSE TO DIE!'_ She was crying hysterically, shaking as she looked madly around the room. It was then that he realized just how much stress the past week had worn her down. Lucy had kept so silent, quietly walking in the Underworld and facing its wolves just for the sake of saving her friend. Now that all the dangers were nullified, Natsu saw the effects of the hell she had been through.

A doctor came in then and had injected a sedative into one of the IVs to calm Lucy down. Natsu had never felt so helpless. It was reminiscent to the time when she broke down after he had left so suddenly. He never wanted to see her like that again, but there Lucy was, traumatized by all the darkness she had seen. ' _Natsu...I want to go home_.' She had mumbled, as the sedative quickly flowed through her and she drifted back to sleep. Yet, even as she slept, tears still continued glittering down her cheeks.

Remembering that scene made his anger flare up. Natsu swung the bat toward the raging Boss, aiming it at the man's wilted mouth. Gold Pistol screamed, the sound filling up the room.

"Fortunately for you, I don't break my promises, Gold Pistol." Natsu stopped the bat, centimeters from Gold Pistol's face. "Even if everything inside of me aches to do just that." The Mafia Boss had been so frightened, he had wet himself, gravity forcing the urine to run down his body and drenching him. Natsu rolled his eyes and handed the bat back to Rocco who had replaced his wolf mask.

"I'll give you money, women, power. ANYTHING YOU WANT! JUST DON'T LET THEM NEAR ME!"

"Ah I can't do that GP. You see, I made a promise with your men after I told them about your extracurricular activities. I promised I would bring you here so they could throw you a party."

"Y-Y-YOU! You told them everything!"

"Did you forget?" Natsu laughed darkly, his rage wanting to snatch the bat back from Rocco and really treat the man like a piñata. "I told you I wouldn't forget our little phone conversation."

"THEY'RE GOING TO KILL ME!" The Boss shrieked.

"Yes, some people get to have all the fun." Natsu sighed, his eyes narrowed in irritation.

"You're not going to stay and watch? This is going to be one hell of a party!" One of the other men in the room called out as Natsu turned to leave, a path forming as the Mafia members moved out of his way.

"I barely have any control right now." Natsu admitted, sliding off his gloves and tossing them down. "If I stayed, none of you would get to have any fun."

"Then we shall say, arrivederci, Salamander," Rocco nodded his head toward the door, twirling the bat in his hand. "We want to enjoy ourselves to the fullest."

"SALAMANDER! WAIT! DON'T LEAVE ME HERE WITH THEM! SALAMANDER! SALAMANDER!"

"What's the matter Gold Pistol? You should be excited!" Natsu smiled, a dark humor glinting in his eyes as he took in the full sight of the man before him. Tears mixed with the sweat and urine coating the man's face, while giant globs of snot and saliva clotted the hairs of his moustache. The once proud Boss of the Italian Mafia was a weeping wreck. Natsu looked on with cold eyes at the blubbering man hanging in front of him, unaffected by the man's pleas. "You wanted to see a tragedy after all."

" _No_. Not like this. NOOO. NOOOOOOOOOO!" Gold Pistol screamed, the sound echoing off the walls as Natsu turned to leave. The wolves stepped out of his path, their fake eyes watching him as he left. The door slid shut behind Natsu, silencing the cries of the Boss Salvatore "Gold Pistol" Lupo.

The party had begun.

* * *

"He didn't take the money?!" Lucy gasped, surprise evidently showing.

"No, the Salamander refused it all." Juvia laid in her hospital bed, blinking up at Lucy's wide-eyed expression. "He said he already received his award, but I had my men check our statements. The money he was promised for rescuing Gray wasn't transferred to any accounts. When I sent my men to clarify the situation, the Salamander got angry and sent them back."

"Natsu…" Lucy looked to the door, where Natsu was waiting down in the lobby for her. It surprised her. She thought, after everything that had happened, he would definitely take the promised reward for all his efforts. If he didn't take the money, what treasure did he claim?

"And Lucy," Juvia's voice drew her attention back to her friend. "I'm sorry I won't be able to see you off," she said softly, frowning while her head was propped up by large, fluffy pillows.

Lucy shook her head, smiling as she reached out and took her friend's hand gently. It had been one week since the horrifying incident had occurred. Lucy was amazed, but so thankful that they all had made it out alive. She made sure to thank every star in the sky twice that Juvia had survived the gunshot wound that almost took her life. Gray was safe; Juvia was alive; and today, Lucy was finally going home.

"Don't even apologize. You'll make me upset," she chastised Juvia with a smile. "The only thing you need to worry about is getting better."

"I wanted to spend more time with you though." Juvia's frown deepened, her eyes glistening. "I wanted to show you the Italy that I love, so you could leave here with at least one happy memory."

"Who said I don't have any happy memories?" Lucy rolled her eyes. "Though there were some really scary moments, I got to meet you didn't I?" Juvia blushed happily at Lucy's statement. "I want to stay here longer too, but I need to get back to my company. It's only been two weeks and I trust my staff, but it makes me uneasy being away for so long."

"I understand. I just never had a real fr-friend before." Juvia blushed more as she said the word 'friend', her whole face lighting up with happiness.

"As soon as you're healed, you can come visit me in New York and stay as long as you like! We can tour the city and if you like books, we can go to my favorite bookstores, and I know the best cafes. My friend Levy is there and I know she'll just love you too. You can stay with me and it will be so much fun."

"I can come and stay with you?" Juvia's eyes widened. "Like a sleepover?"

"Yeah," Lucy giggled. "Like a sleepover."

"I'll do it. I'll come as soon as I'm better!" She squeezed Lucy's hand tightly, highlighting her eagerness. "I've never had a sleepover before. I've always wanted to have one!"

"Well let's make it official then." Lucy slid her hand out of Juvia's grasp and extended her pinky toward her. Juvia stared at Lucy's pinky for a moment, before hooking her pinky with Lucy's. "Promise me you'll get better and then you'll come see me in New York."

"It's a promise!" Juvia smiled brightly, tears of joy sliding down her cheeks.

A moment later, a knock came from the door and Gray slipped inside the room, carrying a black duffle bag. He looked from Lucy to Juvia, his alarmed eyes going wide.

"You're crying!" Gray dropped his duffle bag by the door in panic and rushed to Juvia's side. "Are you in pain? Do you need me to get the doctor?"

The girls looked at one another and burst into laughter. Gray stared at them confused as the girls continued to laugh, but relaxed as he realized Juvia was fine. Lucy smiled up at Gray, who was smiling at Juvia. The look in his eyes as he watched Juvia laughing, made Lucy's heart skip with joy. There was a warmth in his eyes, that she had never seen before.

"Don't forget our promise, Juvia." Lucy stood up from her chair and made her way to the door, wanting to give Gray and Juvia a moment alone before they left Venice and went back to Rome. From there, they would take the plane Juvia had generously allowed them to use to go back to New York. To go back home.

"I won't! Friends don't break their promises." Juvia smiled warmly.

"What promise are you two talking about Juvia?" Gray asked, looking between the two of them.

"Gray," Lucy teased. "Don't ask her that."

"Right," Juvia giggled. "It's a secret."

Gray chuckled as he shook his head. "I should have known," he muttered as he sat down. "Are you heading to the lobby, Lucy?"

"Yeah, Natsu said he would wait down there for us."

"Okay, I'll see you down there in a few minutes."

Lucy nodded, smiling at Juvia as she held her pinky up. Juvia mimicked Lucy's action. None of the two girls said farewell, their promise connected them. One day they would see each other again. Lucy opened the door and slipped outside the hospital room, making her way to the lobby.

There weren't many people in the lobby, but it wasn't hard to spot Natsu. His shock of pink hair was easily identifiable. When he had dyed his hair back to its original color, Lucy had felt more relaxed around him. The sharpness surrounding him had dulled, and he seemed more like the Natsu she had met all those weeks ago. It seemed silly to her to feel this way just because he changed his hair color, but Lucy couldn't deny that Natsu's black hair had made him appear...dangerous.

There was so much mystery surrounding Natsu. He had seemed too knowledgeable about the Mafia and the Underworld. Whenever he was addressed by "Salamander", there was such reverence placed on that title and fear. What struck Lucy the most, was how confident Natsu had been the entire time they were searching for Gray. Even though they were going up against cold-hearted men and blood-thirsty wolves, Natsu seemed so calm—so at ease. Lucy had been so afraid she felt she was choking, but it was like the Underworld posed no threat to him. Was he really just a treasure hunter? Or something more?

Lucy brushed away those thoughts. _He saved me. He saved us all._ She couldn't remember how they had made it out of the Doge's Palace alive, and she really didn't want to know the details. All she knew was that Natsu had somehow managed to do the impossible—Gray had told her that much. Natsu had kept his promise to her and that was all that mattered.

As if sensing her stare, Natsu looked up from his phone and caught her staring at him. Lucy blushed, and looked away embarrassed, but not before she saw the giant smirk plastered on his face. _Calm down Lucy._ She thought as she made her way over to him. _It's just Natsu._

"Gray's saying goodbye to Juvia; he'll be down in a few minutes." Lucy said by way of greeting, relieved how steady her voice sounded.

"He has five minutes or we're leaving without the princess." Natsu leaned back in his chair, folding his hands behind his head.

"Natsu! Really? You know it's hard saying goodbye to someone that you—" Lucy stopped when she noticed Natsu's playful expression. "You're kidding." She sighed, sitting in a chair opposite of him. Natsu just smirked as he chuckled to himself.

"Well that was fast." Natsu looked over Lucy's shoulder at something. She turned around and saw Gray already getting off the elevator and making his way toward them.

"Ready to go?" Gray asked, his head tilted toward the exit.

"Gray? Are you sure that was enough time? I mean, we can wait if you need—"

"It's fine Lucy." Gray smiled, interrupting her. "Besides, I know this one over here has zero patience. You know how hot heads are."

"Who are you calling hot head, princess?" Natsu stood, glaring at Gray.

"I think you're smart enough to figure it out. Or am I giving you too much credit? I forgot hot heads have a tendency to fry their own brain cells." Gray shot back.

"Oh," Natsu cracked his knuckles. "Let's see how many brain cells you have left after I hit that head of yours a couple times."

"Enough!" Lucy stood between Gray and Natsu, pushing the two apart. "Let's go before you send each other to the ER."

The two stared at one another, glaring heavily over her head. Gray broke the glare first, looking down at Lucy's hand on his chest.

"Lucy?" Gray frowned at her hand as he took it and held it up.

"Let her go." Natsu slapped Gray's hand away.

"Natsu!" Lucy turned toward him, annoyed at Natsu's reaction. "What was that for? He wasn't doing anything wrong?"

"YOU'RE MARRIED!" Gray pointed to the rings on Lucy's left hand.

"I-I…" Lucy trailed off unable to say anything, her eyes widening. She looked down at her left hand and realized that she still had the fake wedding rings on from her disguise. _Oh!_ _I never took them off?!_

"We eloped." Natsu draped his arm across Lucy's shoulders. Gray slid his eyes to Natsu's wedding finger where a matching ring to Lucy's was on display. "Italy is so romantic after all. I didn't think I would be spending my honeymoon trying to save your sorry ass though. I'm already planning another trip to make up for this one. Somewhere tropical. So if you get into trouble, you're on your own."

"We're not!" Before Gray could start to believe Natsu's words, Lucy hastily slipped the rings off her finger and handed them to Natsu. Natsu frowned as he un-draped his arm from her shoulders and took back the rings. "It's a long story, but he's just messing with you. Natsu and I, we're not married."

"I see." Gray gave Natsu a smug look. "Looks like you're planning a trip for one then."

"Bastard," Natsu took a step toward Gray.

"Natsu. Please." He stopped himself, after seeing Lucy's face. Instead, he grabbed his and Lucy's duffle bags and headed toward the exit. Lucy touched the spot where the rings once were and frowned.

"Lucy? Are you alright?" Gray asked.

"I'm fine," she answered. She smiled up at him before following after Natsu. "Let's go, Gray."

* * *

Lucy sighed heavily as she walked through the train station, situated in the middle between Gray and Natsu as a living barrier. Would they all be able to make it home in one piece? The train ride had been excruciating. Her nerves were on end trying to keep Natsu and Gray from killing one another. She sent a silent wish to the stars that she would be able to survive this final trial.

Fingers wrapped around her wrist, tugging her gently back. Lucy stopped walking and turned around to see Gray was the one that had stopped her. "What's the matter Gray?"

"Hey flame brain," Gray looked over Lucy at Natsu who had just noticed he was now walking alone. He turned around when he heard Gray's voice, and scowled when he saw Gray holding Lucy's wrist. "We'll wait here, so go get us a cab."

"Like I'm gonna listen to _you_ , princess," Natsu scoffed.

"Actually," Lucy turned to Natsu. "Gray has a point. Even though, he's not doing a good job at making it. You're the only one that speaks Italian, so it would be a little easier if you could please go find a cab driver that's free."

Lucy could see the internal battle raging in Natsu for the three seconds he stared at her. "Fine," he shrugged off the two duffel bags he was carrying and set them between Gray and Lucy.

Gray sighed, letting go and setting his duffle bag down as well. "He makes me so tense. I can't believe you survived a whole week being here alone with him Lucy."

"You're not coming with us," Lucy said.

Gray blinked. "Wait. How did—"

"You shouldn't be _that_ surprised." Lucy rolled her eyes and shook her head. "When I finally found you back in the prison, I knew you weren't coming back."

He laughed as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I've been trying to figure out the best way to tell you, but it seems I was freaking out over nothing." Gray sighed and smiled down at her. "You know me so well."

"Like a good book." Lucy laughed. "I knew you weren't going to leave Juvia, which made saying goodbye to her a little easier. I didn't want my friend to be lonely, especially with all that she's been through."

"Juvia saved my life, so I owe it to her to help her now. But it's more than that. I can't help this feeling that I _need_ to be there for her." Gray frowned. "This is hard to really explain and I think I'm doing it wrong."

"There are things that just can't be easily explained," Lucy assured her friend. "I saw how you two looked at each other. I'm just glad you're safe and you're happy. That's all that matters. I get that there are things you still need to do here. Even though it will be awhile before we see each other, you're always going to be my friend."

Gray threw his arms around Lucy, holding her tightly. "Thank you Lucy. I'm sorry you had to go through something so horrible, but thank you for coming to save me—for being my friend."

When Gray had first visited Lucy in the hospital, he had apologized profusely for putting her in danger. He tried to explain about his past, but Lucy had stopped him. To Lucy, his past didn't mattered. The man she had met and befriended, the person who she had shared five years of memories with, that was her best friend—the person she had walked into the Underworld with no hesitation to free. She didn't need to know who he had been before they met. It didn't change anything about who Gray was now.

"I'd do it all again, Gray." Lucy hugged him back.

"I wanted to make sure you left Venice safely. And…" Gray trailed off, looking away as they broke apart.

"Gray?"

"I wanted to warn you about Natsu," he finished.

"Natsu? What do you mean?" she asked a bit startled.

"I don't think he'll hurt you, otherwise I wouldn't trust him to be alone with you. I don't have proof...yet, but I know he's dangerous. I just want you to be careful." Gray gripped her shoulders, his expression totally serious. "I slipped a number into your bag. If you're ever in any type of trouble and I'm not there—call it. Help will come."

"What are you—"

"Oi!" Natsu appeared and shoved Gray away and cutting Lucy off. "I got us a cab. He's the cab driver wearing the blue bandanna."

Gray dusted the place where Natsu had touched him as he glared at him. "Great, thanks for getting me a cab." He grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulders. "Juvia arranged for someone to take you to the airstrip from here. The person is waiting at the south entrance."

"BASTARD!" Natsu fumed.

"Remember what I told you, Lucy," Gray said as he walked away. "I'll see you soon."

Two weeks ago, she had travelled to Italy expecting to find hidden treasure, but instead, it was Gray who needed finding. There were so many terrors in that first week. She was almost killed by Gold Pistol's wolves, kidnapped by Lyon's wolves, threatened and beaten by both. Despite the confusion, the fear, and the darkness pulling her and the ones she cared about around, Lucy and the others had survived. But, she knew the scars from this experience would take some time to heal. Although she was a little sad Gray wasn't coming back to New York with her, beyond anything, Lucy was happy that Gray was finally safe. Lucy watched her friend blend into the surrounding crowd, watching him disappear with a smile.

"See you soon, Gray," Lucy whispered after him.

"Where the hell is he going?" Natsu asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"He's staying here." She turned around and said to Natsu.

"We just spent the last week running around Italy to save his sorry ass so he can go back to New York and he wants to stay? What a selfish prick." Natsu picked up their bags, resting them on his shoulder. "I promised I would get you and your princess back to New York. He can't decide otherwise."

"Don't worry, you kept your promise. Gray will come back later." Lucy laughed as she headed to the the south entrance, Natsu following her. Gray had warned her to be wary of Natsu, that he was dangerous. Lucy already knew there was more to Natsu than he seemed. The time they had spent in Italy together had made her realize that. However, Lucy knew that Natsu wouldn't hurt her. She knew that she could trust him.

The same style black car that had picked them up from the airport when they had first landed was waiting outside the south entrance. A man in a black suit waited for them, holding up a card with Lucy's name on it. Despite Natsu's and Juvia's assurance that the Italian Mafia was on their side, Lucy still couldn't calm down around the dangerous looking black suited men. The past week had given her plenty of reasons not to get the warm-fuzzies when it came to members of the Italian Mafia. Natsu placed their bags in the trunk and once everyone was seated, the driver pulled away from the train station and to the airfield.

"Thank you." The driver handed Lucy her bag once they reached the airfield. The man gave her a nod, before getting back in his car and driving off. The plane looked like it was the same one that brought them here and started this whirlwind of a nightmare. She was happy to see it, knowing she was hours from being home.

Natsu was a few feet away from her, rummaging through his bag. "FUCK!"

"What's wrong?" Lucy asked, coming up behind him.

"The fucking princess took my bag!" Lucy peered over Natsu's shoulder and saw the contents of the bag, some clothes, but mainly art supplies filled it.

"I have his number, even though my phone doesn't work, maybe you can call—"

"My phone is in my bag," Natsu cut in. "Everything was in there."

"Your passport too? We'll have to contact the embassy and get them to process a temporary one so you can return home. It will take some time though, but if we leave now we could probably start the process today."

"No, I have it. It's in my jacket with my wallet."

"Oh! Well that's great." Lucy smiled. "We'll just ship Gray's bag to him when we return home and he'll return your's. Gray's not going to mess with your stuff, I'm sure. It's inconvenient, but we'll get it worked out." She assured.

"Yeah. He won't be able to access anything, but…." Natsu zipped the bag up and slipped the bag over his shoulder, trailing off as he turned to look at the plane. Were his hands shaking a little? "Lucy why don't you go ahead and board. I'll be right behind you."

"O-Okay?" Lucy turned and headed toward the plane confused. Was it her imagination or did Natsu seem paler than usual?

Once she boarded the plane, Lucy noticed it was the exact one they had taken before. She picked the same seat, setting her duffle bag in the seat opposite of her. The blind was covering the window, so she lifted it up. Watching clouds go by was one of her favorite things about flying. Lucy waited a few minutes, thinking Natsu would board any minute now, but he never appeared. Getting up, she walked back toward the entrance. Looking down, she saw that he was paused on the first step.

"What are you doing?" She asked, furrowing her brow. Natsu didn't say anything. His hands tightly gripped the strap of Gray's duffle bag, as he stared at his foot on the first step. Looking at him closely, she could see he _was_ shaking. "Natsu?"

"Give—Give me a minute," he managed to say after a moment. A sheen of sweat glistened across his forehead. He tightened his grip on the strap as he brought his other foot onto the first step as well.

 _He's afraid!_ Lucy realized as she watched him breathing heavily. The usual arrogant and confident Natsu was trembling in front of her. She thought back to the first time they had flown together. Natsu had been yawning all the way up until they reached the plane and immediately passed out the moment he boarded. It all made sense now….Natsu was afraid of flying! Lucy remembered that Cana's apartment had plenty of sleeping pills too. She had thought they were just for alleviating some of the effects of jet lag, but what if they also served another purpose? What if they were for Natsu in case he ran out between his frequent trips? Since Gray took Natsu's bag, he hadn't had a chance to take one before their flight.

"Excuse me, miss," the pilot came up behind her. Lucy moved to block Natsu from the pilot's view. "We need you two to take your seats, so that we can close the hatch and finish the final preparations."

"Sorry. We'll take our seats now." She smiled at the pilot who nodded before striding back to the cockpit.

Looking behind her, she saw that Natsu was still trembling on the first step. At the rate he was going, it would take him a while before he made it to the door—if he even made it to the door. No wonder one of his rules for treasure hunts required the use of a private plane. Lucy took one more look at Natsu before racing back to her duffle bag. She unzipped it and rummaged through its contents. Her hands pushed aside the obscene amount of silky material Virgo had packed, until she found the things she was looking for. Her mischievous, yet reliable secretary always packed headphones and an iPod for Lucy. Not to mention an eye mask for the longer flights. She grabbed these items and ran back to Natsu. He was still standing on the first step, but he looked even paler than before. She placed the eye mask over his eyes.

"H-Hey Lucy," he protested weakly, but Lucy stopped him from removing the mask.

"There once was a fairy without wings," she told him calmly as she placed the headphones over his ears. Scrolling through the playlists, she turned on the one labeled "Olafur." The playlist consisted of songs by one of her favorite artists—Olafur Arnalds. His songs always inspired her writing, the melodies he created brought to life so many moments in her novels. He could transport her to another world and that's exactly what Lucy intended to do for Natsu.

"He lived his life stuck on the ground, within the shadows of the canopies. All alone, he stayed there, watching as the other fairies soared above him, their silvery wings glinting in the sunlight. Until one day, the trolls kidnapped the fairy king and cast a spell that paralyzed the other fairies." Lucy pried Natsu's hand from the strap of the bag, tucking it into her hand as she slowly guided him up the remaining steps. Once inside the plane, she sat him in the chair next to hers. She released his hand to remove the duffle bag from his shoulder, tossing it into the the chair facing his.

"Lucy!" he called her name desperately, reaching out his hand. His skin blanched, bits of his hair matted down with sweat. Natsu was really terrified. Lucy slipped her hand back into his and he grasped it tightly. She could see some of the tension in his muscles relaxing a bit at her touch.

"The trolls did not think he was a fairy because he didn't have wings, so the spell did not affect him. In order to save the other fairies and rescue the fairy king, the wingless fairy needed to travel to the troll kingdom. However, it would take too long if he travelled by foot," Lucy spoke softly to Natsu, weaving the frame of her story together, tying it to the music she knew by heart.

The stewardess from before—Louisa—walked past them and closed the hatchet, giving Lucy a nod as she returned to her seat. The plane rumbled to life as the engines whirled. Natsu squeezed her hand tighter as he felt the plane's vibrations. The airplane sped along the airstrip, gaining speed. Lucy felt her body press against the seat. Looking out the window, she saw Italy grow smaller and smaller, until it was hidden behind the thick clouds.

"In order to save everyone, the wingless fairy needed to fly."

* * *

Lucy had just reached the part where the wingless fairy entered the troll kingdom when their plane landed back in New York. Her throat was sore from talking for so long, but she hoped her story had helped. Whenever Lucy was younger, her mother would tell her stories to distract her if things were too scary for her. Trips to the doctor were reimagined as pirate raids and nightmares were spun into heroic battles. It had been instinct to react the same way for Natsu. Although, Natsu was quiet all the way back to her apartment. She wondered if her story had even helped at all….

"Nat...su…" Lucy trailed off, once they were inside her apartment, watching as he set their bags near the couch. His back was to her, so she couldn't see what kind of expression he was making. Natsu had literally faced down the Underworld without even showing an ounce of fear. Seeing him break down to that degree was something she would never forget. Was he still scared? Was he still reliving whatever trauma had caused him to be so terrified of flying?

"The story," Natsu finally spoke, his back still to her. His voice was quiet and shaky, like Natsu didn't even really trust himself to speak. "Does it have a happy ending?"

"Yes, the wing—"

"That's good to know." He said, interrupting her before she could explain the rest of the story. Natsu sighed, his shoulders rose and fell. Lucy had never seen him look so...so fragile. Her heart ached to comfort him, but what could she say? "My parents," he whispered his words when he spoke next, almost like he was afraid of speaking them out loud. "They...they died...in a plane crash when I was younger. Ever since then…" his words trailed off, but Lucy understood.

The pain and raw emotion in Natsu's voice made it clear. Lucy realized, there was nothing she could say. Some fears couldn't be soothed away with words. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him from behind. She didn't have the words to make his fear go away, or ease the pain buried in his heart; but Lucy could show him he wasn't alone in facing them.

"Lucy," Natsu said, his hand lightly covered hers. "Thank you."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Loves.

As always first things first: The MVPs are PerchanceADream, Infinity1455, and Pondfrost! Thank you SOOOO much for always being so eager and willing to beta my chapters. You three are A-MAZING! *mwah* APYJCK would be NOTHING without all those who have agreed to beta for it. They help sharpen the story, so all you lovely readers can coherently understand and enjoy it. lol I've been debating with myself if I should go back and rewrite the first several chapters of the story (my pre-beta days), but I've decided to leave them as they are (mistakes and all). If I kept going back, I wouldn't ever move forward. It also just shows how much better APYJCK is with a beta or two or three ;D

Do you ever decide something and then life just steps in suddenly and goes, "About that..." ?

That pretty much sums up why this chapter took so long to get to you lovely readers. I cannot wait for these three months to fly by so I can have a normal schedule again. Even if I can't get two chapters out a month, I'll at least make sure to have one chapter of APYJCK uploaded for you all. ESPECIALLY, since we just finished Part One of the story. Chapter 22 starts Part Two and oh loves...if you enjoyed the first half of the story, you're going to be thrilled with the rollercoaster of a ride I have planned for you. I'm trying so hard not to spoil anything, so I should just end this here. As always, let me know what you think! Tell me your speculations or theories if you have any on what's about to happen next and who's going to make an appearance! ;D

I love you all and thank you for sticking with me, supporting this story, sharing it with your friends, and gushing over the loveliness of it all.

 **Special Music Note:** Go check out Olafur Arnalds! I really do adore him and his music actually helped me get out of my stressful funk and get this chapter to you all. 'Near Light' is my crutch and my absolutely favorite song by him! If I need to relax, that's the go to song. Also, another song I love that was on repeat while writing the end scene of this chapter was Old Skin ft. Arnór Dan by Olafur Arnalds. Stunning and moving and ahhhh the feels! This is probably the longest author's note, so I'll hush up and go work on another chapter. ;D Ciao!


	22. Chapter 22-The Betrayal

Part II

The Betrayal

The five-paneled painting made Lucy pause on her way out of the office. Faded beams of sunlight gave the room a subtle golden glow, which, somehow, made the stars appear brighter as her eyes drifted across the canvas. A lot of paintings seemed to depict the night as a dark void with bits of pale starlight. However, this painting captured exactly what Lucy saw when she looked up into the night sky. There were electric blues, vibrant streaks of purples, swirls of greens and reds, sparkling trails of gold and silver stardust and stars of every color. The image reminded her of another time—a time before she came to the city. Lucy had spent many hours staring at the night depicted in the painting, picking out her favorite constellations among the madness of color to calm her mind if work became too overwhelming. Now, as she stared at the painting, her thoughts went across the sea, wondering if the man who had created such a masterpiece was somewhere staring at the night sky too.

It had been three weeks since Lucy had left Italy, returning to New York and her familiar routine. Three weeks of normalcy after the nightmare she had lived through in order to save Gray from the horrors of the Mafia Underworld. Despite the trauma he had undergone in Italy, Gray had decided to remain there, staying by Juvia's side as she recovered from the injuries she had received saving his life. For the past five years, even though their own schedules kept them pretty busy, Gray had always been just within reach. It was strange knowing her best friend was now in a completely different country and that that was no longer the case.

Lucy and Gray had finally been able to Skype last weekend and he had told her that Juvia had recovered enough to be moved to a villa in Tuscany. The two of them were there, enjoying the peace they both desperately needed. From the sound of things, it wasn't just Juvia's physical wounds that were healing. It seemed Gray's scarred heart was healing as well.

"I'll see you both again," Lucy whispered as she turned away from the painting, smiling as she remembered the promise she had made with Juvia. Even though she was sad that Gray wasn't in the same city as her, Lucy didn't feel lonely. She picked up the pink duffle bag at her feet and left her office.

After a quick goodbye to Virgo, Lucy headed to the elevator. The doors started to close as she approached and she picked up her pace, her heels clicking on the floor.

"Hold the door!" She called out, but the doors closed shut right as Lucy reached them. _Darn it_ , she thought, sighing while reaching for the call button. The elevator doors slid open again before she could push the button and a pink haired woman with wide brown eyes popped her head out.

"Aries?"

Aries was one of the co-directors of the children's publishing department. She was a kind and gentle soul—the sweetest person Lucy knew. Aries had a medical condition that required her to work from home a lot. It had been a great surprise returning from Italy to find that Aries was back at the office again.

"Sorry, ma'am!" Aries apologized as Lucy stepped into the elevator. "I should have pressed the button sooner. You must be in a hurry and I might have delayed you—"

"Aries, it's fine. Don't worry about it. I'm in no rush at all," Lucy assured, trying to calm her, but it took the whole elevator ride down for Aries to feel like she had apologized enough. Lucy had long since given up trying to get Aries to stop apologizing for things entirely, so she didn't even bother trying to stop her. Aries tended to be an extremely apologetic person. She would apologize for things that weren't even her fault. Once during a meeting, Lucy had burnt her tongue drinking coffee and it was Aries who had apologized constantly for it. That's exactly how Aries was. Always thinking about others no matter the situation at hand.

"I'm so glad we're leaving at the same time. It's hard to talk about anything other than work during the day," Aries said, as they both stepped out of the elevator, and made their way to the exit. "I'm sorry! I'm not complaining about all the work. I really love my job and I could talk about work all day. I just meant that it's nice to talk about other things too."

"Don't worry, I agree with you. We have so many projects going on in all the departments it's about to become a little overwhelming, but it's also really exciting. We just won the bids for several new manuscripts and the winter line up is looking great. This could be our best year yet!" Lucy beamed.

"It is exciting! I'll be able to spend more time in the office working with everyone. The new medication my doctor prescribed me is making me feel a lot stronger. I missed seeing you guys every day." Aries placed her hand over her heart as she spoke, an unconscious tick every time she spoke about her illness. She had told Lucy that she had a heart disease in the past, and even with the surgery to eradicate it, her heart was still weak. Despite her illness, Aries never once complained about it or used it as an excuse. She always completed her work on time and even asked to handle more projects. Aries was an invaluable employee and Lucy was glad to hear she was growing stronger.

"That's wonderful Aries!" Lucy said, then stopped suddenly struck by an idea. "What do you think about me throwing a party for everyone at the office?"

"A party?"

"Yeah. I think you're right. All we do is talk about work and before the winter season hits us, I think it would be a good idea to throw a party for everyone where we don't talk about work at all. We can relax and reenergize before we're all scrambling around to make deadlines. I can rent out a space and have it catered. Maybe look into getting some type of entertainment. I know we have our annual Christmas party, but it would be nice to just celebrate the team in general. Everyone has been working really hard and you guys deserve it. What do you think?"

"That sounds like a great idea!" Aries agreed, smiling with enthusiasm.

"Great! I'll bring it up during Monday's meeting and we can all start brainstorming some ideas and figure out the date," Lucy said, holding the door open for Aries to walk through.

"I can't wait! I'll think of some ideas over the weekend. Oh!" Aries eyes widened in alarm, as she retreated from the exit. "I forgot the manuscripts I wanted to take home and look over this weekend. I'm sorry Lucy. I have to go back up to my office."

"It's the weekend. You've worked so hard already. Take these couple days to relax. I'm sure your boss won't mind," Lucy joked, but Aries was already retreating to the elevator.

"I'm sorry! Have a good weekend Lucy!" Aries yelled over her shoulder before Lucy could persuade her to do otherwise. With a sigh, Lucy stepped out of the building.

Looking around her, Lucy took in the familiar sights and sounds of the city. It was just after 4pm and New Yorkers were spilling out of the tall skyscrapers crowded together, heading home or out with friends for a night of adventure. Now that she was back home, there was no need to look over her shoulder when she walked down the streets. It was unnecessary for fear to bubble up inside of her when someone stopped her to ask for directions. Lucy could continue on with her life and leave that nightmare behind her. Besides Gray not being here, everything was normal again. Almost.

Through the stream of bodies, Lucy spotted him instantly, his shock of pink hair always standing out against his usual black attire. Leaning against a car, Natsu stared off to the side. His dark shades hid his eyes, so there was no telling what he was looking at. As she watched him, she felt the usual stirrings in her heart ever since Natsu had entered her life. He was mysterious, intense, safe yet dangerous and so many more things all at the same time. He promised so much, but revealed so little about himself. Gray's warning still echoed in the back of her mind, but after Natsu had worked so hard to save him, to save her, Lucy had decided to follow her heart and trust him.

"You know, I can just meet you there. You don't need to pick me up every day. People might get the wrong idea," Lucy said when she stood in front of him. He was still looking away from her, but the hard line of his mouth tilted up into his signature smirk before he spoke.

"Oh?" He turned to her then, lifting his shades so she could see the humor dancing in his dark eyes. "What idea would that be?" Natsu leaned in, his closeness making her heart skip. "Besides, how are you so sure it's wrong?"

Lucy felt the heat go to her cheeks. She slammed her duffle bag against him, but since the contents were merely a change of clothes, it didn't provide the necessary impact she wanted. "N-Nevermind. Forget I said anything."

Natsu just laughed as he caught her duffle bag, his shades falling back over his eyes. He walked to the trunk and tapped it with his knuckle. A moment later, it popped open and he placed her pink duffle bag next to his standard black one already placed in the back. It wasn't the same one Gray had accidentally taken back in Italy. Natsu hadn't wanted it back, which was a good thing. Gray had told Lucy the technology inside of it had short-circuited and fried completely. Everything inside of the bag had been ruined. Natsu hadn't seemed bothered by that at all, shrugging the news off. He had already bought a replacement one and moved on. Luckily, Gray got _his_ bag back without any issues.

"You're exhausting." She sighed, rubbing her temples.

"You remind me every night," Natsu said and opened the car door for her. Even though she knew _exactly_ what he meant, the seductive way he said those words made her blush deepen. Lucy ducked into the car to hide her embarrassment as her thoughts ran away from her.

Ever since they had returned from Italy, Natsu had stayed by her side. Having him here had brought a comfort to Lucy in these past three weeks. That first night back, both of them had relived horrors they would rather forget. Natsu had returned back to his regular self the next morning, and Lucy had thought she was fine too. The daylight kept the dark memories of the Underworld at bay, but the night let loose the haunting moments that had terrorized her in Italy. When she had tried to sleep, her dreams were plagued with ferocious wolves chasing her and her friends. She had to watch as the wolves devoured everyone she loved, one by one. Every night, it was the same dream. It reminded her how weak she had been and how easily the Mafia wolves had almost taken everything away.

Natsu wouldn't say anything when her screams of terror woke him up. He would come into her room and hold her until she stopped shaking. Only with him there, could she drift off into a dreamless sleep. He had helped her similarly, when Lucy's trauma from five years ago had resurfaced—although, his sudden departure had been the trigger for it. His presence seemed to burn the fear away, like some part of her subconsciously knew that there was nothing to fear when he was there. Yet, after the first week of nothing but nightmares, Lucy hadn't been able to take it anymore. She didn't want that nightmare ruling over her. Lucy had to face her fears and to do that, she needed Natsu's help.

The nightmare was stemming from the realization of her weakness. If she got stronger, if she knew she had gained the power to defeat the wolves and protect her friends, then, hopefully, the nightmare would go away. It was this reasoning that had compelled Lucy to turn to Natsu one night and ask him to teach her how to fight. She thought he would refuse, but in the darkness, he had quietly agreed to help her. Natsu had picked her up from work the next day, but instead of going back to her apartment, he had instructed his driver to take them somewhere else.

It was this place that the driver pulled up to now—an eight story building, the outside nothing but gleaming windows. It was here that Natsu had taken Lucy to help her overcome her fears. The place the two of them had visited every day since. Above the entrance to the building, a sign was held up by a statue of a man, the words reading: Atlas Effort.

Atlas Effort was a gym, fully equipped with workout equipment for all types of gym junkies. The company prided itself for being able to adhere to the needs of any type of fitness activity. If there was a machine it was lacking or a class that wasn't offered that a member wanted to take, simply fill out a form and Atlas Effort would see to it that that error was corrected. Lucy had come here occasionally with Levy to take a yoga class or entertain one of the latest fitness fads Levy had read about. One time they had tried a glow-in-the-dark hip hop cycling class. Lucy and Levy had left that class with jelly for legs.

The gym took up the whole building, all eight floors simply dedicated to all forms of fitness. On the first floor were the administrative offices, the Atlas Effort apparel store, locker rooms, pool rooms, and a food court stocked with healthy and nutritious food selections.

"I'll meet you up there," Lucy said after they had signed in, heading for the women's locker room to change. She fished out her key from her duffle bag and unlocked her locker. She stripped out of her work attire, dressing in her black leggings and hot pink tank top. Lacing up her tennis shoes, Lucy then swept her hair into a ponytail, before locking all of her belongings away.

The seventh floor housed a multitude of specialty rooms. These rooms could be reserved, for a fee, and filled with any equipment specified on the reservation form. Natsu had reserved a room on this floor for them and had it equipped with the specific equipment needed for Lucy's training. In the center of the room was a smaller version of a standard boxing ring. Treadmills, ellipticals, and cycling bikes faced one wall where a giant TV was mounted—a random movie playing across the screen. The opposite wall was nothing but mirrors with gym mats laid out in front of it. Positioned in front of the back wall were various weights and dozens of machines Lucy had never used before.

On their first day here, Natsu had told Lucy he would train her how to properly defend herself in order for her to start conquering her fears. "You're afraid because you fear the Mafia wolves will capture you again. I'll teach you how to make sure that never happens."

Entering the room, Lucy saw that Natsu was already inside the boxing ring, going through a set of stretches. His workout attire consisted of sweats and a tight short-sleeved shirt—all black of course. She climbed into the ring and stood next to him, beginning her usual stretches as well, limbering up her sore muscles before she put them through another Natsu styled workout routine. From the corner of her eye, she couldn't help but notice the well-defined muscles of his physique as he stretched them. Lucy forced her eyes to look straight ahead, ignoring the ache in her fingertips to reach out and touch them.

"Okay, you're good," Natsu declared after ten minutes of stretching. He climbed down from the ring and went over to the treadmill, messing with the settings. "We'll start with thirty minutes on the treadmill to get your heart rate up."

Lucy looked around at the room at all the unused equipment before frowning at the treadmill. It seemed all she ever did were workouts that centered around cardio. Natsu had been training her for two weeks, but all Lucy knew was how to run. Being able to not wheeze after the end of a thirty minute jog was her only development so far. How was that going to protect her? How was that going to make her stronger?

"Fine." She climbed down from the ring and went to the treadmill. She placed the earbuds in her ears, the sounds of the movie coming through as she started jogging on the treadmill with Natsu running on the machine next to her. She tried focusing on the movie in front of her, filling her mind with the images and sounds, in order to drown out her frustrations. She still knew nothing about how to properly defend herself. If she were ever going to get over this fear, she couldn't afford to be weak anymore. She wanted to be stronger. If she ever had to face the wolves of the Mafia again, she wanted to be ready

Natsu leaned over to read the screen on her machine where it indicated how long she had run, what her heart rate was and the calories she had burned so far. The timer designated she had five minutes left on the treadmill. Natsu added another thirty minutes and increased the incline on the machine, forcing Lucy to run harder.

"Enough already!" Lucy yanked out the earbuds and glared at Natsu as he looked at her, confused.

"What? You were obviously having no difficulty with that incline. You're barely sweating or out of breath. It's all a part of your training."

"That's not what I'm talking about, Natsu." Lucy kept running as she spoke to him, the steeper incline making her breathing more labored. "How is this training? You haven't been teaching me anything!"

"I am teaching you something."

"For the past two weeks, all you've ever let me use are these three machines." She motioned to the elliptical and the cycling machines to her left. "If I'm lucky, I get to use the leg weights; but if I'm not doing something revolving around cardio, you have me meditate while you blast who-knows-what-type of chaotic music you pick. How is any of this training?" She jabbed the power button, powering off the machine. "Natsu," she angrily panted. "None of this is making me feel like I might win against them. I want to be stronger! I want to know how to fight, so I can protect everyone. I want the strength that you have, so I don't have to be afraid anymore!

Natsu's eyes widened at her words before he looked away. Lucy felt her heart thundering in her chest, but she couldn't spend another night running on a treadmill again. It just felt like she was running from her fears and that wasn't solving anything. She was tired of feeling scared. She was tired of feeling so helpless.

"Get in the ring," Natsu ordered flatly, as he powered off his machine and walked over to the boxing ring, climbing into it swiftly. Lucy followed after him, excited he was finally going to teach her what she wanted to learn. She awkwardly climbed back into the ring, moving to the center where Natsu stood.

"Great. So, now what do I—" In a second, Lucy was on her back looking up at Natsu. She blinked, processing what had just happened. Did he even move? "Hey, I wasn't ready," she said, getting to her feet. "You're supposed to—" This time, Lucy saw him move. The second she was on her feet, he swiped her legs out from under her. She hit the padded floor, landing on her stomach this time. "Natsu!" She glared up at him, but his face was emotionless as he turned away from her.

Angrily, Lucy scampered to her feet, bracing herself for his next attack. He turned his back to her, a silent challenge. This made Lucy even angrier. Why was he acting like this now? She charged at him, but before she could make contact, he stepped out of her path, causing her to crash into the ropes. She whirled around, not even thinking about what she was doing as she threw herself at him again. Natsu dodged her attack, reaching out and pinning her body against his. One of his arms wrapped around her torso, forcing her back against his chest, holding one of her arms to her side at the same time. Her other arm was gripped tightly in his other hand. She squirmed against him, but his grip was solid—unbreakable.

"Okay, enough! Let me go!"

He held onto to her a moment longer, but finally released her. Lucy balled her hand into a fist and tried to punch him. He caught her fist effortlessly. She tried to punch him with her free hand, but he caught it as well.

"What are you doing?" Lucy tried to tug her hands free, but he wouldn't let go.

"I'm teaching you what you think you want to learn," Natsu replied, sweeping her legs out from under her again, falling with her as her back hit the floor. He leaned over her, his hands gripping her wrists as he held her down. Lucy tried to kick out, but his knees were on either side of her thighs, locking her in place.

"That I'm weak?! Don't you think I know that already? My nightmares are reminder enough without you having to show me." She shut her eyes, forcing the tears to not fall when she remembered her nightmares and the feeling of helplessness that came with them. "I thought you brought me here to help me—to help me get stronger!"

She thought Natsu could help her. After all, he walked through the Mafia's Underworld without any hesitation. The wolves feared _him_. Was this all a joke to him? He agreed to train her, but had the past two weeks just been a pretense? Was he trying to tire her out until she gave up on getting stronger?

"I am helping you. You say you want to protect others, but you can't even protect yourself."

"No, you're not helping! I don't care about protecting myself. I only care about getting stronger to help everyone else."

"You don't know the price of the strength you want," Natsu replied, a coldness to his tone that shocked her.

"Then tell me! I'm being serious, Natsu! Whatever it is, I'll pay it no matter what the cost. I'm not scared to do that! The only thing I fear is losing those that I love!" Lucy remembered Lyon's face when he had pointed his gun at Gray. "Because, if I wasn't so weak…" She saw Gold Pistol's face when he had condemned Juvia to die. "If I had fought then..."

"YOU WOULD HAVE DIED!" Natsu yelled, gripping her wrists tighter. His onyx eyes flashed with anger and his body shook slightly. Lucy laid there stunned, blinking up at him. This was the first time he had ever yelled at her. His eyes met hers and she could see a deep sadness in them mixed with pain. She stared up into his eyes, unable to look away. "That's what would have happened Lucy! You say you want the strength to protect others, but in the Underworld, that mentality isn't a strength; it's a weakness! How many times do I have to tell you? You even saw it for yourself. There are no heroes in the Underworld so stop trying to become one! You think because you're weak you might lose someone and that scares you. Well, even with all my strength I almost lost you and—"

Lucy winced, unable to hide the pain as his grip kept tightening on her wrists as he spoke. When Natsu realized he was hurting her, a horrified expression scrawled on his face. He quickly let her wrists go.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, his voice quiet. "Are you alright?" Lucy managed to nod her head, still in shock by his burst of emotion. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I shouldn't have yelled either. I just..." Natsu trailed off before moving away from her. Lucy watched him go, her eyes unable to look away from him. He leaned against the ropes of the ring, his shoulders rising and falling as he took in deep breaths to calm down. As she stared at his back, her wrists slightly ached from where his trembling fingers had gripped her.

"When I thought Gold Pistol's wolves had found you..." Natsu started after a moment, still turned away from her. "When I watched Lyon point the gun at your head…" His voice strained, like he was struggling with the words. "Just because you're strong doesn't mean you can save anyone. I have all this strength, but I wasn't capable of doing anything to help you. I never felt so powerless, so helpless before...I never felt so terrified in my life."

 _Natsu was...afraid?_ Lucy sat up, balling her trembling hands into fists at her sides. In that moment, something shifted in her perception of him. Natsu had always seemed so confident, so capable of taking on anything or anyone during that time. She stared at him, the man she believed knew nothing of fear. The man who had comforted her fears every night, had been harboring fears of his own. Lucy bit her lip as she reflected on this, feeling ashamed of herself for not noticing it sooner.

They hadn't talked about what had happened in Italy at all. They never discussed the awful events or how it had affected them. Partially because she believed Natsu already knew how she felt about everything—if the nightmares weren't enough of an indication—and she thought Natsu was used to dealing with the Mafia and none of it had bothered him. Also, Lucy didn't _want_ to discuss it; she didn't want to relive the worst moments of her life again. She'd rather lock those memories up in a box in her mind and never open it again.

"Lucy," Natsu called out to her, his voice stronger, but still serious as he walked back to her. He kneeled down beside her, placing his hand over her fist. "Do you think a sane person could kill his own sister? Or try to kill an innocent girl in order to get revenge on someone else? Gold Pistol...The Sub-Zero Emperor...With people like that running the Underworld, you have to be willing to do whatever it takes to survive. You can't show any sign of weakness, any at all, or they'll just use it against you. Did you see any of Lyon's men coming back to rescue him? No. They just left their Boss there without another thought. You can't think about others, only yourself. To survive, you have to become just like that. That's why they're known as Mafia wolves. Nothing more than beasts. And the ones that hold their leashes are fucking monsters.

"Even if I taught you everything I knew about fighting, you would never win. You can't win against them, because you still have a heart beating in your chest. If you really want the strength to fight them that's the price you pay. The cost for that strength is your heart. Unless you can become a monster, you can't ever hope to beat one."

Lucy was surprised. All she had wanted was a way to conquer her nightmares; but she hadn't known what she was truly asking for. Although, Natsu had. He had said she didn't know the cost of the strength she wanted and he had been right. Could she really do it though? Could she really kill someone in order to save her friends? That manic hunger that she had seen so clearly in Lyon, in Sherry, in Gold Pistol, it consumed them. Their eyes clearly showed they would do whatever it took to get what they wanted. Murder included. None of them had even flinched when they threatened to take her life. She wanted to be able to protect her friends, but there was no way she could be as ruthless as the wolves that had tormented her that day. Lucy didn't want to become like them. Not now, not ever.

"I've been training you to run, because if you ever find yourself in the Underworld again without me there, that's all I want you to do. To run until I can find you. I don't want you to fight. I don't want to see you become that type of person—the type that stains her hands in blood. That's just not you." Natsu paused for a moment, frowning to himself. "But...If I'm being honest, that's not the complete truth." She felt his fingers tug at her hand. Lucy looked up with her watery eyes and saw him staring at her hand that he held in his. Natsu smiled sadly, his eyes containing an emotion she couldn't understand.

"You are reckless, and not to mention, stubborn, and weak, Lucy. Yet, as weak as you are, you stood up to Gold Pistol, to Lyon...to me." Natsu shook his head, like he couldn't believe what she had done. "You're always putting others before yourself no matter what; so imagine what you would do if I showed you how to fight? I saw for myself how self-sacrificing you are. Lucy, you can call me selfish, but," Lucy felt his fingers tremble slightly as he spoke. "I thought by training you this way—I thought I was protecting you. Because, in my mind, teaching you how to fight is the same as teaching you how to die."

 _He was trying to protect me? All this time I thought he was just messing with me, but…_ Lucy thought, unable to say anything as she listened to Natsu speak.

"I know you fear losing the people you love, but no amount of strength can ever erase that. I really wish I could reach in and take all those bad memories from you, so you wouldn't have this fear. You shouldn't have ever seen that world. I can never apologize enough for putting you through that nightmare." Natsu got to his feet, helping Lucy up after him. "But I shouldn't let my own fears, stop you from conquering yours."

"Does that mean...?" Lucy stared up at him, her tone questioning.

Natsu closed his eye, sighing before he nodded slightly. "I'll teach you the basics, so you'll at least know how to properly defend yourself."

Lucy couldn't help herself. She threw her arms around Natsu, so overcome with joy that he was going to help her. "Thank you."

She stepped back, smiling brightly at him, but Natsu looked serious as he took her hand again. His eyes met hers, and they burned with intensity. "Just promise me that you'll always keep your heart, Lucy. The strength you want isn't worth the loss of it."

Lucy held his gaze, nodding as she said, "I promise."

"Good, because," Natsu smiled weakly as he let go of her hand, the ghost of his touch still lingering as he turned from her. "I'm already enough of a monster for both of us."

Before Lucy could process what he had meant or even respond to him, Natsu had already walked away from her. He strode to the side of the ring that faced all of the weights, acting as if he were looking over the equipment. He stretched his arms above his head, before letting them drop to his sides. "How about we take ten?" He suggested, looking over his shoulder. "You should go grab some fuel from the cafeteria on the first floor. You're going to need all the energy you can get. What we've been doing lately was merely a warm-up. But when you get back," Natsu smirked at her. "We'll really heat things up."

"Yeah, that's...that's a good idea." Lucy smiled nervously before bending under the ropes and climbing down from the boxing ring. Excited, nervous, and slightly fearful of what Natsu had in store, she hurried out of the room, eager to start her real training. Before she left though, Lucy stopped at the door, looking back at Natsu, who was rubbing his neck, staring in the opposite direction.

 _'I'm already enough of a monster for the both of us.'_ Those words tugged at her heart. Was that really how Natsu saw himself? But the real question seemed to be, how did Lucy see him?

* * *

 **A/N:**

HELLO!

I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter and the beginning of Part II of this fanfic. It's going to be a ride ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you to PondFrost, IrritatingLove, and PerchanceADream for being my betas for this chapter. You three are terrific to work with and thank you x infinity for putting up with the mess of an ending I uploaded. Hopefully, you three won't have to beta anymore messy chapters. Anywho, it's thanks to their patience and guidance that the chapter came out the way it did! Without betas this fic would have fizzled out a long time ago. So, betas always have my love and appreciation.

As always, PLEASE let me know your thoughts on the chapter and the theme for part II. Let me know your guesses to what you think might happen in the following chapters. I've been dying to write this portion of the story! I want to just show you all my notes but that would be spoiling it (I won't, trust me.) Thank you for sticking with me and this story and giving it so much love. I appreciate your support more than anything. All my love!


	23. Chapter 23

Natsu sat alone on a bench in Central Park, staring up at the branches above him. The green leaves were paling into yellow hues, some even showing splashes of orange and hints of red. It had been a while since he had witnessed the change of seasons in the same city. When he came to New York on his last job, Natsu hadn't expected he was going to stay for so long. His usual trips to New York, or any city, lasted a few days at most—not months. Treasure hunting was a nomadic profession. He was always on the go—traveling, hunting, exploring. There was always some new adventure waiting at the end of the last.

Several clients had contacted him since his return from Italy, offering him large sums for the treasures they wanted him to procure. All he had to do was pick one, and he would be off, heading to another city to start a new adventure like always, but he had turned them all down and declared he was on vacation. Leaving New York meant leaving Lucy, and Natsu wasn't ready to do that. He should have left, though. It would have been the smart thing to do—the right thing to do. Staying with Lucy was dangerous for both her and himself; he knew that. She had nearly lost her life in Italy because of him. Gold Pistol had realized that Lucy was his weakness. How long until someone else realized the same thing? Putting distance between them was the only way to make sure that never happened again. Natsu understood this, so why couldn't he leave?

Levy and Gajeel had returned a few days after Natsu and Lucy had returned from Italy. It wasn't like Lucy was alone, even with the princess still overseas. He had told himself he would stay the first week to make sure none of the Mafia wolves had followed them from Italy. Natsu had wanted to make sure Lucy was safe and she could return to her normal life before he left. He had checked all the back channels, listening for any mention of Lucy, but they were all clear. He should have left then, but Lucy had still been having her nightmares. Even though Lucy had been safe, she still hadn't _felt_ safe. How could Natsu have left her like that? He had wanted to help her, but he hadn't known how, other than holding her until she fell back asleep. If only he had had an answer, then Lucy would have never asked him to train her.

Watching Lucy try so hard to grow stronger ate at Natsu. It was like she was trying harder and harder to die. It was only the basics, but she was a fast learner. She had the potential to develop, to sharpen her teeth into fangs. He could sense the hunger in her for more, which terrified him. The training had ended Lucy's nightmares, but they were the start of his. Natsu's nights were plagued with images of Lucy, standing atop a pile of bodies or being devoured by wolves. In both nightmares, Natsu had been unable to speak, to move, to do anything; he just watched in horror as the scenes played out.

Every day, Natsu woke up ready to leave—to do the right thing, but every time he opened his mouth to say goodbye, Lucy would look at him, and the words would catch in his throat. He would swallow his goodbye, his reasoning, his resolve—all of it. The unspoken words would crash into the pit of his stomach, and as the day progressed, he could feel them writhing inside, crawling inch by inch as they made their ascent. At night, they would fester in his throat, choking him until the pale light of morning crept into his room—until he would decide, finally, today would be the day he would open his mouth and let them out. He would say the promised goodbye and walk away from Lucy forever. Except, he never did. The thought of saying goodbye would make him swallow the words again and let the process repeat.

If Natsu had left when he had first planned, none of that would have even been happening. He didn't want to leave, but staying with Lucy was only being selfish. He had lost all rights to be by her side the moment Gold Pistol's wolf turned his knife on her. But who was he kidding? He never should have got this close to begin with. It was just too much fun to tease her that he couldn't stay away. But was that all? The longer he stayed, the more he kept finding reasons _to_ stay. It would hurt, but he needed to make a clean severance. That was the strangeness of it all—thinking leaving would hurt. That was a first for Natsu. His nomadic lifestyle had never bothered him before. Leaving people had never been hard. When it came to Lucy, though, the thought of spending a day without her, made his heart clench painfully. What did that mean?

The bushes next to him rustled loudly, stirring Natsu out of his thoughts. He passed it off as some squirrel or some other critter causing the noise, but then the bush spoke.

"Pssssst."

Looking around, Natsu tried to see if someone was near him, but the closest people were across the field, playing soccer. He thought he was hearing things, but he heard it again.

"Pssssst."

"Hello?" Natsu asked, leaning further toward the bush. There was a long pause, making Natsu question his sanity, when the bush finally answered in a low voice.

"How is the sea not like the devil?"

The question would have seemed strange—coming from a person as well as a bush—if Natsu had not heard it before. "Why are you hiding in a bush, Levy?"

The bush rustled again, loudly as if in aggravation before Levy's distinct voice came from the shrubbery. "No names!"

Natsu rolled his eyes and sighed before he asked again, "Why are you hiding in a bush, _Blue Raven_?"

Two days ago, Levy had sent him a vague text about code names, secret codes, and a drop-off location. He had thought she was just having some fun and agreed to meet her here, but he hadn't realized how seriously she was taking all of this.

"How is the sea not like the devil?" Levy asked again, ignoring his question.

"Um," Natsu pulled out his phone, scrolling to find the response Levy had told him to say. "The devil asks if it can have you. The sea just takes you." He frowned at his phone, still not clear as to what that meant.

"Code phrase confirmed." In a blur of movement, Levy leapt from the bush startling a woman that happened to be passing by at the moment. The woman took one look at Levy and sent a glare toward Natsu like it was _his_ fault Levy had startled her. "Pink Penguin, I trust you weren't followed," she said while brushing tiny leaves off her person.

"I'm Pink Penguin, and you're Blue Raven? How is that even fair?" Natsu pocketed his phone.

"Black Hawk came up with the code names." Levy shrugged, pausing as she took in his appearance. "Why aren't you wearing a disguise?"

Natsu frowned and looked down at his outfit. The light gray t-shirt and dark denim jeans looked like the perfect disguise to him. He wasn't wearing an ounce of black. He took off his shades and gave Levy a confused looked. "I am disguised."

"You call that a disguise? You're not even trying," Levy berated him.

"How is this not a good disguise? I'm blending in, unlike you." Even from across the field, several people kept glancing over and pointing at Levy. Even by New York standards, her appearance was odd.

Levy scoffed, tugging at the upturned collar of her nude trench coat she wore along with dark shades, a fake bushy moustache, and a black bowler hat to hide her wild blue locks. The outfit was more of a costume than a disguise. On a clear day in September, with the last of the summer heat warming the afternoon, Levy was doing everything _but_ blending in. She was getting far more stares than he was.

"This is proper special agent attire." Levy stroked her moustache, ignoring Natsu's statement. "You may not be wearing black, but if anyone takes one look at that pink tuft coming from your head, they'll know it's you." She looked around the park they were in, smiling when she saw what she was looking for. "Wait right here." He watched as she scurried away to one of the many pushcart vendors selling their useless trinkets to tourists. "Here," she said shoving a "I Heart NY" cap into his hands when she came back. "Put this on."

"You're kidding." Natsu looked from the hat to Levy. She didn't say anything, but her silence was a clear enough message. Grumbling, he shoved the hat onto his head, tugging the bill to face the back before putting his shades back on. "Happy?"

"It'll do." Levy sighed, but she smiled, clearly pleased."Now, let's get down to business." She cleared her throat before lowering her voice. "Inside are the detailed plans for tomorrow's mission." Reaching into her trench coat, Levy pulled out a folder and handed it to Natsu. "Follow the instructions exactly, and the mission is sure to be a success."

Flipping through the pages inside the folder, Natsu smiled. "You really put a lot of thought into this. I'm sure Lucy's gonna—"

"No names, Pink Penguin!" Levy frantically looked around as she shushed Natsu. "The Starling could show up any minute."

"It's the middle of the day on a Friday." Natsu closed the file. "You and I both know that she's probably stuck in her office in some meeting." They both were well aware of how much of a workaholic Lucy was. She had thrown herself back into her job when they had returned to New York. If it weren't for their regular workout routines and Virgo's watchful eye, Lucy would have probably worked late into the night as well.

"I know but..." Levy trailed off for a moment, pressing her lips together. "I just want tomorrow to be special," she started again, taking a seat next to Natsu on the bench. "The Starling—" She removed her moustache and glasses, pocketing them in her trench coat. "Lucy, she's very important to me. She always worries about others and never takes a minute for herself. I have to go to lengths like this just to celebrate her birthday every year. Do you know how hard it was to even find out the date?" Levy shook her head smiling to herself, as if replaying some fond memory in her head.

The mission Levy had created was Lucy's birthday celebration, although the next day wasn't actually Lucy's birthday. Levy had explained that every year she picked a random date to celebrate Lucy's birthday since Lucy didn't like people making a fuss over her. Normally, she would plan the event with Gray, but Levy had been told he was travelling overseas for artistic inspiration. Natsu thought telling everyone Gray ran away to join a circus would have been more fitting, but Lucy had shot that idea down.

"Natsu," Levy's tone shifted. "Have you noticed something different about Lucy lately?"

"Different?" he asked, arching his brow. He kept his voice and outside demeanor calm, but inside, Natsu inwardly tensed.

What happened in Italy was going to remain a secret; that was something Lucy and Natsu had decided. Lucy wanted to protect Levy, keeping the truth about the terrors of the Underworld from her friend so Levy would never feel the same fear that she had. Natsu had agreed with Lucy. Even though Gajeel and Levy were family, they knew nothing about his connections with the Mafia or his dark past. His dads and Cana were the only family members that had any idea of his sins, but there were things they still didn't know—things he could never tell them or anyone. Igneel, Gildarts, and Cana had all sworn to never speak of what they knew to anyone—not even among themselves.

"If you knew something, you would tell me, right?" Levy turned her piercing gaze on Natsu, her keen eyes taking in his mannerisms, analyzing every breath, word, and movement he made.

He removed his sunglasses, meeting Levy's gaze fully and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Levy—"

"Before you finish that sentence," she cut in, "I know Lucy probably told you not to tell me because she thinks she's protecting me. That's the type of person Lucy is, but I don't want my friend suffering on her own. If there's something I can do to help, then I need to know."

Levy was one of those freakishly smart people. Having been deemed a child prodigy at the age of three for her ability to fluently speak four languages, Levy had never stopped learning. Whether it was languages, history, mathematics, philosophy, literature, or a dozen other areas, Levy excelled in anything to which she set her attention. Natsu couldn't remember how many degrees Levy had now or how many languages she could speak, but the sheer depth of her knowledge was immeasurable. The last thing Natsu wanted was Levy suspicious of him; there was no telling what she was capable of uncovering. She would probably give Ichiya a run for his money. Natsu had to be careful.

"I didn't promise her not to tell you." Natsu put his sunglasses back on, sighing as he leaned back against the bench, his gaze directed straight ahead. "She asked me not to tell you, and I agree with her. It's for the best that you don't know. What happened is done and can't be changed." The bitterness in his voice reflected the pain he still felt from putting Lucy through such an ordeal. There was no point denying something happened. He could see that Levy would be able to tell if he were lying right then, no matter how good he was at it. "But I won't ever let what happened in the past happen again."

Levy was quiet for a moment, letting her legs swing absentmindedly. Her head tilted as she stared ahead as well, watching the people run across the field as they played their game. "Have you ever read George Santayana's, _The Life of Reason_?" she finally responded. "I've always disagreed with the line: ' _Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.'_ It never made sense to me. I've spent a lot of time studying history from all over the world. Probably more time than most people." Levy laughed. "History is full of repetitions. So, why is that?" She took off her hat, turning the brim in her hands. "I think those who do not share the past condemn themselves to see it repeated. Knowledge gained by one, serves only the one."

Natsu shifted his gaze back to Levy. They held each other's stare, Levy's brown eyes seeming to absorb everything in before she spoke again. "If Lucy is ever in danger, promise me you'll tell me. Don't keep it to yourself. She's precious to me, understand?"

"Has anyone ever told you how intimidating you can be?" Natsu joked, trying to lighten up the mood. Levy only arched her brow, waiting for his promise. "Okay, Levy," Natsu managed to say after a moment. "If I ever think she's in danger, I promise I will tell you."

His stomach churned at the words. Levy's eyes bore into him as though they could read his thoughts, but he managed an easy smile, and she seemed satisfied.

"Thank you, Natsu." Levy squeezed his hand then hopped off the bench. "Well, now that that's all taken care of," she said as she donned her bowler hat once more, adjusting it on her head, "an archeological team from the Middle East sent me a lovely little manuscript they want me to decipher."

"Lucy is really lucky to have a friend like you." He smiled, standing up as well.

"She's lucky to have you, too." Levy winked. "I've seen more than one type of change in Lucy...and you, too, for that matter."

"What-What are you talking about?" Natsu laughed uncomfortably.

"I wonder if there's a connection…" Levy trailed off, then smiled wickedly. "Pink Penguin, I wish you luck with your part of the mission tomorrow."

 _Levy really is terrifying._ What did she mean about seeing another change in Lucy and in himself?

"Look out!"

Natsu barely had enough time to dodge as a soccer ball came hurtling toward him. It hit the tree behind him, leaving a mark on the wood. If the ball had hit him, it would have seriously injured him. He bent to retrieve the ball, but it was mere scrapings now. Just what kind of kid possessed such strength?

"Did it hit you?" a female voice asked.

"No." Natsu started to turn around. "It miss..." He trailed off when he saw who the person was.

"What a shame." The woman frowned, crossing her arms against her abundant chest. "I thought it would knock some sense into you because for some reason, you've been ignoring all my calls."

"You're...You're here." Natsu stared wide-eyed at the tall, long-limbed woman with a slender, voluptuous figure that was currently clad in red jogger pants and a white t-shirt. Her long scarlet hair was pulled back into a ponytail, revealing dark brown eyes which pinned Natsu to the spot. "Erza."

Erza smirked. "Oh, looks like you do remember who I am. You can't use amnesia as an excuse now."

Natsu gulped. Erza Scarlet. She was one of the most fearsome individuals of the organization Ultear and Meredy worked for. Just mentioning her name in the Underworld would send the mafia wolves howling in fear.

"What are you doing here?" He finally managed to ask. The organization reserved Erza for the most dangerous of missions. If she were here that could only mean trouble.

"I'm starving," Erza said, ignoring his question. "Let's go and grab some lunch. You can fill me in on what you've been up to all this time."

"No, thanks." Natsu gripped the folder tighter and walked past her. It seemed Erza wasn't going to answer his question, so the best thing for him to do was get far away from her as possible and evaluate the situation.

He felt her hand tightly grip his shoulder, halting him. "You seemed to have believed that was a request, Natsu."

* * *

"Your dessert, madame." A waiter delivered a three-tiered silver platter to their table, setting it nearest to Erza. It was filled with tiny delectable cakes and bite-sized sweets. Erza selected what looked like a miniature-sized strawberry shortcake and placed it on her plate first. Macarons, small tarts, and sweet rolls followed after it.

Upon leaving Central Park, Erza had led him to the Ritz-Carlton hotel. As a high-end hotel, there was a dress code in order to use any of their dining facilities. Initially, the staff had refused to seat them, but one word from Erza and that was no longer the case. Erza wasn't the type of person who liked being told 'no.' It never ended well for those who did.

Natsu sat and watched as Erza happily devoured her dessert, waiting for her to explain what she wanted from him. His mind raced, trying to figure it out. His relationship with the organization was a complex one. With his previous background and knowledge of the Mafia Underworld, he helped them out on certain missions occasionally. Usually, he would get vague details about a person or operation the organization wanted him to investigate. He would use his connections to find out the information they wanted and report back. All contact was done through specialized cell phones. It was rare that he actually met up with any of the organization's members. They didn't trust Natsu enough to share all of their secrets and the same went for Natsu.

"This is so delicious!" Erza exclaimed, moaning with pleasure as she ate the strawberry shortcake in one bite. "Waiter!" she called loudly to one of the waiters already helping another table across the room. "I want a platter full of these cakes." The other guests gave Erza annoyed looks, but it seemed as though she was oblivious to them.

"Enough," Natsu said finally, hitting his fist on the table. The china rattled lightly, but he was tired of waiting. Erza paused her hand from reaching for another sweet and looked up at him, confused. "If you're not going to tell me what the organization wants, then I'm leaving." He stood to leave, but one look from Erza made him pause.

"Sit down, Natsu." Plucking the sweet from the platter, Erza bit into it, all the while smiling sweetly at him. "It's rude to leave in the middle of dessert."

He held her gaze, trying to stand up to her, but Erza's gaze held the demand. Reluctantly, Natsu sat back down. The waiter returned and delivered the new platter, filled with strawberry shortcake as Erza had requested. Natsu glared at him until he left quickly. His teeth ground together as he restrained his temper from lashing out at Erza again. She definitely wouldn't tolerate a second outburst.

"The organization," Erza began after a moment, "is afraid you're planning on betraying us." She stabbed a strawberry with her fork, flicking her gaze to him. "They're worried you've forgotten the details of your contract."

 _That damn contract,_ Natsu thought bitterly. "I haven't forgotten anything," Natsu grumbled. "I'm on vacation."

"Well, this little vacation of yours is going to end. You have an assignment." Erza gestured with her fork, the strawberry still impaled on it.

"You're going to need to find someone else. Like I said—" Natsu tried to protest.

"It's non-negotiable," Erza cut in, her eyes hard. He held her gaze, but Natsu knew there was no room to argue. If the organization had sent Erza of all people to tell him, then whatever mission they had for him was serious. It was time to leave.

The last time the organization had called upon him, it was after the night he had taken Lucy out to Etherion when she was cat-sitting for Levy and Gajeel. He hadn't wanted to leave then, and the feeling was even stronger now, especially remembering how distraught Lucy had been when he got back. That night, he had destroyed the cell phone the organization used to contact him, so he wouldn't have to leave unexpectedly again. Natsu had been expecting them to reach out to him eventually. Running into Ultear and Meredy in Italy was a coincidence, but now the organization was finally coming for him. Fine. He would go on whatever mission they needed him for and then return as soon as possible.

"When do I leave?"

"Tomorrow night." Erza nodded to someone behind him. A waiter came up and placed a cellphone on Natsu's unused plate. "All the details for the departure are in there. As usual, further details of the mission will be sent to you as you are en route to your location."

 _Tomorrow night._ Natsu frowned, looking from the cell phone to the folder lying on the table. Lucy's birthday celebration was tomorrow night. Was he going to have to miss it?

"For how long?"

"A week. Five months. A year. It all depends on your ability to complete the mission," Erza told him, her dark eyes assessing him. "Is there some reason you don't want to leave the city?"

"No," he lied.

"Good." She bit the speared berry, the red juice coloring her lips nearly the same scarlet red as her hair. "In your line of work, it's unfortunate to have distractions."

Grabbing the phone and the folder, Natsu stood from the table. "Are we done?"

"For now." Erza leaned back in her chair, wiping the berry juice away with her napkin.

Not wasting a second, Natsu turned sharply on his heel, walking as fast as he could away from Erza. It was only when he had exited the hotel and walked several blocks away did the tension in his muscles begin to relax. Staring down at the objects in his hands—the folder containing Lucy's birthday celebration, the phone containing his next mission—he saw the decision to leave had been made for him. The words that he had suppressed all these months, it was finally time to let them out. It was time to say goodbye.

* * *

Lucy peeked out from the curtains of her dressing room, her eyes automatically finding Natsu where he sat on the couch, talking to a sales attendant. Something was different about him, but she couldn't put her finger on it. It all started yesterday, when he came to pick her up after work like usual. He had seemed distant, like something was taking his attention elsewhere. He had been so distracted, Lucy was even able to land a hit on him when they were sparring together—which never happened. Natsu always held back when he trained her, but even the limits he put on himself were enough to demonstrate the divide in their abilities. When she had punched him, Natsu had looked more surprised than she had. It was Lucy's decision to end their training for the day early, and Natsu had quickly agreed.

Natsu was not one to talk about the things that troubled him. When she had asked him if something was wrong, he said everything was fine. Lucy had gone to sleep worrying about him, but that morning, a completely different Natsu awaited her. All morning he had been acting suspiciously nice.

When she woke up, her apartment had smelt delicious and chocolatey. Natsu had made her his self-proclaimed "World Famous Chocolate Chip Pancakes" for breakfast instead of one the protein shakes she now preferred. He had claimed today was a cheat day, which meant she could eat and do anything she wanted. It also meant no training. Lucy had protested, not wanting to take a single day off from training. She wanted to get stronger quicker, finding comfort every evening in her aching muscles. The pain meant she was getting stronger. It meant she was one day closer to acquiring the strength she needed to protect the ones she cared about. Natsu had still refused, stating that resting is also a part of training. However, Lucy had done anything but rest so far.

After breakfast, Natsu had asked her to go shopping with him. He had initially stated he needed to pick up a few things, but he hadn't looked at a single article of clothing for himself since they've been out. Instead, Lucy had been ushered in and out of dressing rooms along Fifth Avenue. He wouldn't listen to her objections about trying on clothes she wasn't going to buy. Natsu had just smiled and told her to have fun and play pretend. Normally, the sale associates would disapprove, but it seemed Natsu had special accounts with most of the stores, which was strange, since his wardrobe consisted of almost entirely black t-shirts and pants. Lucy had imagined a shopping excursion like this one whenever she found herself passing through the area. It never seemed feasible though, to spend a small fortune on clothes alone, but it would be nice if she had the small fortune to spend.

So, Lucy had given into the temptation and allowed herself to pretend she was able to afford all the lovely clothes she tried on. The sales attendants flocked and fawned over her, treating her like she was a regular. All the while, Natsu had showered his compliments on the outfits she chose. She initially thought he was just giving her compliments to be nice, but when she had purposefully tried on a hideous dress covered in flowers and feathers, he had just laughed and laughed and told her even she couldn't make it look good. Hearing Natsu laugh like that was a first for her. It was unrestricted. There had been an absence of his usual amount of teasing and quips as well; and Natsu's genuine smile had appeared more often than his tantalizing smirk. The difference, though nice, worried Lucy.

"Are you going to show me or not?" Natsu called out to Lucy, his head turned in her direction.

"Uh, yeah." Lucy opened the curtains and stepped out onto the small platform. Immediately, the sales associates doused her in their usual compliments, but it was the look Natsu gave her that made Lucy blush. He stood up quietly and walked toward her. "What do you think?" She asked, feeling unusually nervous.

The dress was a draped, off-the-shoulder jersey dress designed with short sleeves and a seamed empire waist. It was made of rayon and dyed in a brilliant red color that looked like bright fire. It hugged her curves, stopping an inch below her knees. When Lucy saw it on the mannequin, she couldn't help herself. She had to try it on.

"You look..." Natsu started, his voice barely audible. His hand brushed away the lock of hair that had fallen across her shoulder. The soft stroke of his fingertips against her skin sent a shiver down her spine. She pressed her lips together, hard, hoping Natsu wouldn't hear the slight shuddering of her breath. Lucy found herself leaning toward him, barely breathing as she waited to hear his next words. He looked into her eyes, and she saw something burning within them. He parted his lips and—

"She looks gorgeous! And it fits like a glove. Almost like you were made to wear it, dear!" One of the sales attendants exclaimed, breaking the tension. Natsu blinked, the action smothering the fire in his eyes. He hastily took a step back, and half-turned to face the saleswoman who continued to prattle on. Lucy cast her eyes down, taking a moment to recollect herself. For a moment, she had forgotten anyone else was there.

"It's the only one the designer was able to make before he passed away." Another sales associate, a bubbly man with an imbecile taste in shoes, joined in. "He titled it 'Eternal Flame' as a nod to his life's work. We've had tons of women try on this dress, but it never seemed to fit any of them right. You're the first!"

"We'll take it," Natsu said, stepping off the platform.

"Natsu," Lucy protested. "I can't afford this."

"Shall we put it with the others?"the man asked, ignoring Lucy's statement.

"Others? What others?" Lucy looked from the man to Natsu who gave the sales attendants a sharp look. The employees smiled apologetically before walking away. "Natsu?"

"I bought a few things while you were shopping." He shrugged, like that was all.

"Natsu. This was all pretend. I didn't try on this dress or any of the other outfits because I wanted you to buy them for me. I-"

"Cut it up. Burn it. I don't care," he interrupted, staring up at her as she stood on the platform. "I don't want anyone else to wear that dress."

"But—"

"Is it so terrible for you to receive a gift from me?"

"No, I just..." Lucy closed her eyes and sighed. _It's not terrible, but..._ she thought as she opened her eyes. "Thank you, Natsu," she said, smiling.

"You're welcome," he replied. Lucy turned, heading back to the dressing room when she heard him whisper: "You look beautiful." Hearing those words, her heart squeezed itself with delight, but her lips tilted into a frown as she closed the curtains of her dressing room.

It was nearing noon when the pair had stopped for lunch. Natsu had suggested they go to a new café that had just opened up near Union Square called Fairy Cakes. Lucy had been dying to try this place out after hearing many of her employees rave about it. The café offered the usual lunch selections of soups, salads, and sandwiches, but it was their desserts that gave the restaurant its glowing reputation. One of her employees had described them as being magical. As the dishes from their main meal were cleared away, Lucy eagerly awaited the strawberry shortcake she had ordered for her dessert.

"You look happy," Natsu chuckled, taking a sip of his drink.

"Their food was delicious, so I can't wait to try their desserts. They're supposed to be magical," Lucy said, quoting her employee. "Ah, it's here!"

"One strawberry shortcake for the lovely mademoiselle." A waitress with long, flowing scarlet hair appeared, placing the delectable dessert in front of Lucy. Lucy beamed at her dessert, her fork already in hand and posed to take the first bite when the sound of breaking glass made her pause and look up. Natsu stared in shock at their waitress.

"Oh, careful, sir," the waitress said, bending down, quickly picking up the shards of glass and depositing them onto her tray. Taking the cloth that hung from the pocket on her apron, she wiped away the water. "There." She dropped the dripping cloth onto her tray and picked it up as she straightened. "Good as new."

"We need to leave." Natsu recovered from his shock, his eyes narrowing as he spoke. He never took his gaze off the waitress as he moved and grabbed Lucy by the wrist, tugging her up from her seat. There was a frantic look in his eyes as he moved which startled Lucy.

"Natsu, stop. What's going on?" He didn't answer but stepped in front of Lucy as if he meant to shield her from their waitress. "Do you know her?"

"No," he managed to respond through gritted teeth.

"That's right!" The waitress clapped her hands together happily. "I don't know you, and you don't know me. But," the bright smile on her face remained, yet her eyes narrowed slightly. "I do know it's rude to leave in the middle of dessert. So, please," she reached out and plucked Lucy from behind Natsu, guiding her back into her seat. "Enjoy every bite."

Natsu and the waitress stared at each other intensely, the tension between them growing. Despite what Natsu had said about not knowing the waitress, his actions right now told otherwise. Just who was she, and why was she making Natsu act this way? Surprisingly, none of the other guests in the café were concerned with the strange interaction between the two. They continued to enjoy their meals and desserts, oblivious to the scene.

"My apologies." A blue haired man with an intricate tattoo on the left side of his face stood behind Natsu, clasping his shoulder. "It seems like the owner of this establishment is having too much fun with the customers." He moved past Natsu and gently guided the waitress away from the table. "Let's let them finish their meal in peace."

"But," the waitress began to protest, her demeanor completely changing as she spoke to the man. A slight blush appeared on her cheeks, and her eyes softened considerably.

"I have a new cake I need you to try for the menu. I think you'll like it." The man smiled softly at her, before turning his gaze to Lucy. "Enjoy your dessert."

They left, leaving Natsu glaring after them. It wasn't until they disappeared into the back that Natsu sat down again.

"Are you—"

"How does it taste?" Natsu asked before she could get her question out. He wasn't looking at her, but staring out the window. Lucy noted how his hands were balled tightly into fists, the tension in his jaw giving away his aggravated state.

Lucy, hesitantly, took a bite out of the cake. Despite the earlier commotion, the taste of the cake lived up to its magical reputation. It was exceptional. "It's delicious!" She smiled, brightly going in for another bite. Natsu watched her out of the corner of his eye, and when she stuffed her face with another bite of cake, he finally relaxed.

"Good."

The rest of the day flew by in a blur of activity, ending with another heavenly dinner from Etherion. It still amazed Lucy that Natsu was the owner. A few weeks ago when she had told him about the party she was planning to throw for her employees, Natsu had offered his restaurant as an available venue. Lucy had been reluctant to accept such an generous offer, but Natsu had reassured her that it was no problem. As they left the restaurant, Lucy couldn't wait for her employees to experience such a wonderful place.

"Thank you for today," Lucy said as Natsu's driver took them back home. "I didn't realize how much I needed a break from everything."

"I wish I could take credit for today, but I can't," he said as the car came to a stop.

"What are you talking about?" Lucy asked, but Natsu just smirked and stepped out of the car. A moment later, her door opened. Instead of seeing her apartment building, she saw the unmistakable shape of Madison Square Garden.

"Come on." Natsu offered her his hand. "They're waiting for you."

"Who is? What's going on?" Lucy asked taking his hand and climbing out of the car. She wasn't one for surprises.

Natsu led her through the entrance of Penn Station and onto the escalators. Even though she peppered him with questions, he didn't answer a single one. He just folded his arms across his chest and smirked at her knowingly.

"Natsu, why are we—" She was about to ask him for the fifth time, but as they crested the landing she spotted a pair of familiar faces.

"LUUUUUCCCYYYY!" Levy called out to her, smiling and waving frantically as she jumped up and down upon spotting Lucy.

"Levy?" Lucy blinked, not expecting to see her best friend there. Behind Levy, Gajeel stood, nodding his head toward her.

Levy bundled Lucy into a tight hug when she and Natsu walked up to them. "Happy birthday, Lucy!"

"Birthday?" Lucy blinked down at Levy. "But today isn't…"

"Meet the mastermind behind today," Natsu explained. "Levy picked today to celebrate your birthday and planned everything we did. I just played the part of decoy so you wouldn't suspect anything."

"Oh, Lev," Lucy said, realizing now what Natsu had meant earlier in the car. Levy had been planning these mock birthdays ever since they met five years ago. Lucy should have suspected this was why today had seemed different. Everything had been too wonderful.

"I'm surprised this hothead was able to keep his mouth shut about everything," Gajeel patted Natsu on the back, hard. "You were horrible at keeping secrets when we were kids."

"Who are you calling hothead?" Natsu punched Gajeel in the shoulder by means of greeting. "And I can keep secrets just as well as I keep promises, Black Chicken."

"It's Black Hawk, you smart ass," Gajeel growled, returning Natsu's punch.

"Did you have fun? Did you like Fairy Cakes?" Levy asked, breaking away, clearly ignoring Gajeel and Natsu.

"Today was the best," Lucy admitted, smiling at Levy. So much so that she almost wished that it _was_ her birthday and that she could have at least one happy one to remember. "Thank you."

"Well, it isn't over yet," Gajeel added in. "We should get in there. The show's about to start."

"Show?" Lucy asked.

"Here! Here!" Levy handed Lucy a pass. Looking down at the pass, Lucy almost dropped it. This couldn't be real; the tickets sold out within the first five minutes.

"Levy," Lucy looked up at her grinning friend. "How did you—This can't be real. You're not serious?"

"Of course it's real." Gajeel rolled his eyes, but smiled. "The shrimp told me this was one of your favorite bands, so I pulled some strings."

"But this is a VIP pass to see The Thunder Tribe." Lucy held the pass carefully in her hands, still not believing it was real. The Thunder Tribe was an internationally acclaimed group, known for their mix of powerful and electrifying music and soul-shaking lyrics. It also helped that all the members of the band were stunningly gorgeous as well as talented. Lucy had always wanted to see them in concert, but getting tickets was more like a Black Market affair.

"This is...This is all too much. I can't accept—"

"Don't say that, Lu." Levy frowned. "Nothing's too much for you."

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." She hugged Levy tightly, even though she disagreed with her. Gajeel patted Lucy on her head. It was his means of showing affection to her. Levy and Wendy were the only ones he ever actually hugged. "And thank you, Natsu." Lucy broke away from Levy, turning back to face him.

"We'll start heading to our seats," Levy said loudly, pushing Gajeel away and smiling back at Lucy and Natsu with a knowing grin.

"She's right, you know," Natsu said when Levy and Gajeel had disappeared into the crowd entering the venue. "Nothing's too much for you."

"I don't know about that." Lucy blushed. Somehow, the words seemed to hold a different meaning when Natsu said them. "Do you like The Thunder Tribe?" Lucy asked to change the subject. Her heart was beating faster, but she didn't know why. She had been alone with Natsu all day, but it seemed different now. Was it the way he was looking at her?

"I can't say that I've heard any of their songs." Natsu scratched his head with the admission.

"What!" Lucy's eyes widened in shock. "You're in for a huge surprise then. Their music is incredible!" Lucy looked back to where Levy and Gajeel had entered, realizing they had forgotten to give Natsu his pass. "Oh!" she exclaimed, turning back to him. "It seems Levy still has your pass." She fumbled inside her purse, searching for her phone. "Let me text her, and she can bring it—"

"Don't worry about that." Natsu cut in. "I can't stay."

"O-Okay." Lucy hated how disappointed she sounded. "I get it. The Thunder Tribe isn't for everyone, plus you've been running around the city with me all day. Maybe tomorrow we can…" The sad smile Natsu gave her made the rest of her words fade out. She realized it then—what his words truly meant. It wasn't that Natsu couldn't stay for the concert. He wasn't staying. Period. "You're...leaving."

"Yes."

The simple confirmation made everything inside her freeze. Her breath caught in her lungs, her heart stopped mid beat, and her blood turned cold. _Natsu's leaving_. The thawing was as sudden as the freezing at that thought. Her heart beat twice as fast, her lungs expanded, trying to take in more air, and her blood rushed in her veins, heating her body. Lucy felt tears rushing to the surface, but she forced herself not to cry. Hadn't she suspected this? Hadn't she prepared herself quietly for this day? It was the promise he had made to her. A promise that had seemed so long ago. Natsu never promised her he would stay. He promised he wouldn't leave again without saying goodbye.

"Is it another treasure hunt?" Her thoughts fumbled around, trying to make sense of everything. Did she sound normal enough? She was better now than the last time he left. Stronger. She could go back to being alone and waking up to the silence in her apartment. There would be more time to read the books she had been putting off and more quiet weekends to bury herself in her work without being dragged to the park or to a movie, or to dinner, or to a show. There would be less dishes to wash at night, less noise, less distractions, less smirks, less Natsu. Lucy had a life, a routine before him. It was just hard to remember what it was like or how that was even possible.

"Something like that," he admitted, frowning at whatever was on his mind.

"When will you be coming back?" The question slipped out, her words sad and weak and barely above a whisper. Lucy cringed as the question dropped between them. She hadn't meant to ask it.

"You would want me to?" Natsu asked, an emotion lighting up his dark eyes.

"I mean, Gajeel and Levy are here," Lucy stammered out awkwardly. "Wendy and the Redfoxes, too. I assume you would visit them next time you're in the city." As she spoke, she could see each word dimming the emotion in his eyes. Lucy stopped talking. That wasn't what she meant to say. She was scared of the truth, but was this what she wanted? Letting Natsu leave without letting him know she wanted him to come back—to stay with her.

"I see." Natsu glanced down, smiling slightly. She felt the distance that started to grow between them then. When he looked back up, the emotion was gone. Instead, there was a resolution in his eyes, as if her words helped him decide something. He laughed, but the sound held no joy. "You've mastered all the basics of your training, so if you practice what I've taught you, you'll be fine. There's really no need to work out every day, so make sure you relax too. Otherwise, Levy might come after you." He laughed again, his false smile wilting into a line. "And, remember the promise you made."

Lucy could only nod. Why had all her words abandoned her then? After everything they've been through, was this how they said goodbye?

"Good," Natsu whispered.

Lucy bit her lip and looked away, hating herself for not saying what she really wanted to say. _Tell him_ , she urged herself. _What are you doing?_ The painful memories from her past were trapping her words. All she could remember were the people leaving. Leaving _her_. If she asked him to come back and he said no, then what? She had learned a long time ago it was better to let go of those who wanted to leave. That realization didn't make it any less painful though. Every second that passed, the distance between them grew. It felt like a giant, gaping hole had appeared in front of them, each on opposite sides, staring out at one another.

"Lucy."

Lucy's head snapped up. Why did her name sound so much like a goodbye?

"I know these words can't erase what's happened; they can't excuse what I've done...but I want you to know, I'm sorry for everything I've put you through. If I had the strength to walk away sooner," Natsu shook his head. "If you had never met me then—"

"Don't say that!" Lucy finally spoke. Those three words unlocking her voice, but not the words she needed to say. "Don't...don't say that," she repeated, filling them with as much meaning as she could.

Natsu smiled weakly before taking a step forward, creating only a thin space between them. How could he be so close, yet so far away? "Thank you for putting up with me all this time." He reached out, tucking her hair behind her ear as he leaned forward. He tilted his lips to her ear, his breath kissed her skin as he whispered. "Goodbye, Lucy."

He moved away from her quickly, faster than she had expected him too. Before his words could settle in her heart, Natsu was already several feet away from her and still moving farther.

 _Say something! He's leaving!_ Lucy screamed at herself, but when she opened her mouth, nothing came out. The distance widened. Her heart was beating so wildly, it shook her bones. Natsu stepped onto the descending escalator, rushing down the steps until she couldn't see him anymore.

 _Come back._

Lucy ran then. She ran after him, not thinking, just moving to try and shrink the distance. By the time she descended, she was in the swarm of people rushing in and out of Penn Station. Where was he? Where did he go? She only lost sight of him for a moment. He couldn't have disappeared that fast. She saw a flash of pink, up ahead and to her left. Lucy reacted, running in that direction.

"Natsu!" Her hand shot out, desperately trying to reach him. "Natsu!"

It wasn't him. She stood there, people jostling her as her eyes scanned the crowd. So many people, so many faces, but none of them his. Natsu was gone. The words she wanted to say sat heavily on her tongue.

A hand wrapped around her wrist, tugging her to the side and out of the stream of people. Her back pressed against a small corner, two arms caging her on either side, blocking her view of the crowd. Lucy looked up and into the coal dark eyes of Natsu. He was here. His brow was crumpled, his eyes scanning her over to assess for injury. She couldn't help the smile on her face. That was just like him—always worrying about her. She saw his lips part, about to ask the question in his eyes, but she spoke before he could—before the words could leave her again.

"Natsu," she said, her voice too quiet. She shook her head. _No, do better Lucy._ "Promise me," she started again, looking directly into his eyes, her hands reaching out to cup the sides of his face."Promise me you won't stay away—that I'll see you again. Promise you'll come back to me."

Lucy held her breath, waiting for him to say the words she dreaded. For him to tell her he wasn't coming back, that he didn't want to—that those were promises he couldn't make. Not to her at least. She prepared herself for them. She was ready for him to tell her goodbye. She was ready to go back to a life without him there. All he needed to tell her was—

"I promise."

Her breath came out shaky. Her heart beat frantically, making her blood rush in her ears. Did she hear him right? But Natsu spoke again and all her doubts disappeared.

"I promise, I'll come back to you. I don't know how long I'll be gone, but I won't break this promise. I'll come back to you, Lucy." Natsu breathed her name and that distance she had felt vanished. Her name was no longer a goodbye. It was a promise. He leaned forward, his forehead pressed against hers. He closed his eyes, a brilliant smile lighting up his face. "When I come back," he spoke softly, letting her know these words were only for her, "there's something I'm going to tell you." He opened his eyes, and Lucy had to keep herself from gasping. The emotion filling his eyes took her breath away.

They were barely a breath apart. She could feel his breath kiss her lips. There were words she needed to tell him. Things she should have said. The secret she had been carrying these five years. Natsu needed to know. But not now—not when he was looking at her this way. For a little while longer, she could hold onto this happiness.

"I'll be waiting."

* * *

 **A/N:**

Thank you to all my lovely betas for looking over this chapter. It still amazes me how much my chapter can transform, for the better, after sending it to you all. Even though it's been awhile, each one of you immediately responded to my request and my heart couldn't have been more full of happiness because of that. Thank you for always being so willing to take the time to read and make this story better. All my gratitude to **Smiley-San, Ras, PerchanceADream, and Akitsune Lune.**

So, you all have probably been wondering (or not) where I've been, since it's been two months since I've last posted. Well, like I mentioned earlier, I was planning a big move and it finally happened. There was a ton of things to do to prep for the move and then the actual move itself, so there was little time to write. I also got a little depressed, for it seemed like no one was reading my fics. I'm over it now, but it just got to me at the time. I love all my like stars (should I call you all that? lol) and appreciate anyone who even glances at the synopsis. I love to write. Period. I needed to remind myself, it's not about the reviews, it's about doing what I love for me and sharing it with others.

Anywho, I really hope you stars (okay, I'm going with that for now) enjoy this chapter. :D Much love everyone.


	24. Chapter 24

**December 13th**

On a rooftop in Manhattan, a lone figure stood gazing out at the twinkling view of New York City, her scarlet hair whipping out behind her as a breeze snaked up and between the buildings. Erza had been occupying the building's penthouse apartment for the past three months. Her time in the city had left her unimpressed. The closely packed skyscrapers glinted in the daylight and shone at night, making it a maze of stone and mirrors. A maze where those rat-like mafia dogs skirted in and out. This wasn't her first time in New York City. She visited often, walking through this maze to pluck out one rat after another. However, it felt like no matter how many times she visited, the number of those rats grew and the harder it was to find them.

 _Will this ever end?_ She thought, sighing, her breath visible in the cold air.

In her hand, Erza gripped the organization-issued cell phone tightly. She had just received the latest report on their most pressing assignment. Listening to the report had sent her blood boiling. Everyone at the organization had all worked so hard, but had it all been for nothing? The need to calm herself had sent Erza to the cold rooftop without even her coat, lest she start taking her wrath out on the rat's nest and blow her cover. She closed her eyes and breathed in and out, letting the cold air fill her lungs and soothe her growing anger.

"Erza."

A warm touch caressed her shoulder, brushing her scarlet hair aside.

"Jellal." The second she felt his presence, the tension in her body lifted, her eyes softened, and her scowl disappeared. Erza turned her head up to meet his gaze. He stood behind her, looking down at her with concern.

"Put this on." He opened a coat he held in front of him. "Even you can't beat a cold."

"Watch me," she challenged, turning around and giving him her best warrior's face. The wind picked up, sending more chilly gusts to circle them. Erza shivered, breaking her demeanor, rubbing her arms. Her sweater wasn't much in means of armor.

"Come here," Jellal called to her softly, a warm smile on his lips. Erza let him help her into the coat, thankful for its warmth, but it was only when Jellal wrapped his arms around her and she snuggled into his embrace did she feel truly warm. "Better?"

"Always."

He held her quietly for a few moments, the two of them looking out at the city. She felt his arms tense slightly around her, as if he was reluctant to disturb this moment, but she knew the organization had contacted him with the details of the report too. They were members of the organization first. Lovers second. Erza closed her eyes to shut out the view of the city. No matter what darkness she travelled into, Jellal would always be there with her and she with him. This time would be no different.

When Erza opened her eyes again, they narrowed into a glare. She stepped out of Jellal's embrace, ending their moment of peace. Another breeze sent her scarlet locks dancing around her shoulders again when Erza turned to face him; his gaze was as hard as hers.

"It's as we feared."

* * *

 **December 15th**

Three months. That's how long it had taken Natsu to complete his mission. Three months of lurking in some of the darkest parts of the Mafia Underworld for what? Absolutely nothing. He didn't understand the organization's leaders. They had used his contract to force him to spend all that time away on a whim. He couldn't even begin to contain his anger. After giving his last weekly report, a bunch of jumbled nonsense like usual, he was told four days later that he was deactivated, meaning he was free to go.

"Ugh!" Natsu hit the tiled wall of his shower as his anger flared up again. The tile cracked, and a smear of blood dripped away. The sting of hot water hitting the wound and the broken tile didn't even bother him. All of that was mild compared to his first explosion of anger after realizing how much time the organization had made him waste. Natsu was pretty sure he had terrorized the small village he was in when he first got the news.

A noise from the other room alerted him. Natsu landed in London twenty minutes ago in order to pick something up and take a much needed shower to wash the filth of travel off him. There shouldn't be anyone else in his flat, but he heard someone shuffling.

 _God, help whoever thought it wise to rob me_. He smiled to himself, happy there was someone so foolish. It meant his anger could have a little more time to play. Natsu turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, eager to greet his guest. It was only when he heard the distinct sound of the wine cooler opening that he stopped himself from opening the bathroom door. That sound alone told him exactly who had paid him an unexpected visit. It wasn't a thief, but Natsu knew he was being robbed. He rolled his eyes and grumbled some obscene things under his breath as he reached for a towel. His anger wasn't going to have any more fun.

Padding across his bedroom to his closet, Natsu dried himself off, tossing the towel on the ground along with the articles of dirty clothing he had peeled off ten minutes earlier. Grabbing clothes, all black, he dressed his barely-dried body quickly.

There was a button hidden underneath the lip of the island in his closet. Natsu pressed it, and the wall full of sweaters and shirts slid away to reveal a hidden room full of weapons. He grabbed a small, black case before pressing the button again to close the wall. He flipped open the case after undoing the clasps to check the contents. Inside were two guns, six rounds of ammunition, leather gloves, a burner, and a hand knife.

"That should be fine," Natsu noted, closing the case again. It was a short ride between here and the airport. The contents of the case should suffice; he was creative enough if they weren't.

Making his way to the back of his closet, Natsu flipped the corner of the rug to the side with his foot and bent down. There was a barely recognizable eyelet in the dark wooden floor. He placed his pointer finger over it, feeling the prick as the hidden scanner took a blood sample to identify him. A panel slid away, revealing a small velvet box. Natsu stared at the box as flashes of a memory seized his thoughts.

 _Do you know what a man's greatest treasure is?_ he remembered his father—his birth father—asking him.

"You're out of wine," his sister, Cana, called out as she entered his bedroom.

Natsu reached in and grabbed the box, the panel closing after he retracted his hand. He flipped the rug back into place, shoving the box in his pocket right as Cana appeared, leaning her shoulder against the doorframe and sipping from the full glass of wine she held in her hand. Natsu spared her a glance, just thankful Cana had the grace to use a glass instead of drinking straight from a bottle this time; usually, she didn't bother. It had been a while since they had last seen each other in person, but she looked pretty much the same. Cana was a tall, tanned woman with dark brown hair that stopped midway down her back, matching dark eyes, and an ample figure which was currently dressed in a cream colored sweater dress, and brown knee-high boots.

"I wonder whose fault that is," Natsu muttered as he grabbed a new black duffle bag from one of the top shelves, stuffing the case into it first.

"Yours, naturally." Cana grinned. "It's alright, though. You can just buy more after we go out to dinner."

"And that's after I buy all the wine you'll drink _during_ dinner, right?" Natsu asked, though he already knew the answer. Cana just grinned wider. "Has anyone ever told you there's such a thing as drinking too much?" he joked with his sister.

"No, never." Tipping the glass to her lips, Cana drained the rest of her drink.

"Clearly." Natsu laughed, shaking his head. "I'll take you out next time, Cana. I have a flight to catch."

"Always on the go, little bro." Cana sighed, stepping further into the room, maneuvering around the cluttered mess he was creating on the floor as he packed. Natsu prickled a bit at her 'little bro' comment. Cana was only a few months older than him, yet she liked to remind him constantly of that. When they were younger, it used to be the cause of a lot of their arguments, but he didn't want to waste time debating it now. The sooner he was packed, the sooner he could be on a plane which meant the sooner he could see Lucy. "Where are you off to now?"

"New York."

"Did you get Dad's messages?" The empty wine glass twirled in her hands until she set it down on the island.

"Yeah, I got them."

Cana drank from a flask she had retrieved from her boot. "So then why are you going to New York? The Redfoxes are with our dads in the Alps this year for Christmas. I'll be heading there in a few days myself." She rummaged through his clothes as she spoke, frowning at the section of colored clothing with tags on them.

"Reasons." He didn't look, but he could practically feel Cana roll her eyes at his response.

"Levy did say she and Gajeel would be coming after Christmas…" Cana turned around holding up one of his many black shirts. "Are you really going to be that person and third wheel on the newlyweds' first Christmas together?"

"I'm not going to see them," Natsu said, making a mental note to change the locks to his flat. Again.

"Oh?"

The second the words were out, Natsu regretted them. He inwardly groaned, feeling his sister's heightened attention on him now. He had to change the subject and keep her from asking questions he would rather not answer.

"So why are you here?" Natsu asked.

"I had a feeling you would be here, so I decided to stop by and hang around before going on holiday." Cana shrugged. He would have found the comment strange if it had been anyone beside his sister. She had an intuitiveness about members of their family, always knowing generally where they all were.

"And I'm glad I did. You know, I had an interesting conversation with Mira a few days ago." She put down the shirt she was holding. "I took her out for drinks to see how she's been doing."

Natsu stopped what he was doing and looked at his sister, who was smirking at him. The only Mira she could be referring to was Mirajane Strauss. She and her younger siblings were friends of theirs. It just so happened that Mira was also Natsu's accountant. She was the one that handled all of his financial statements, including the payments he received from his most notorious clients. Her discretion and ability to manage the web of accounts he possessed displayed her brilliance with numbers. Mira's only flaw just so happened to be Cana's strength: alcohol.

"You know how Mira is, such a lightweight. It's so funny how a sweet person can turn into an angry drunk. She was mad at Elfman for not telling her about his new girlfriend and at Lisanna for bringing home even more stray animals instead of a man… And then she got to you." Cana's eyes glittered from excitement. "She was ranting about the headache you caused her over some damages done to a hotel room you booked in Italy this summer."

"Accidents happen."

"$300,000 in damages is an accident?"

Remembering what he actually did to the hotel room, the number seemed rather low. Natsu shrugged. It was probably thanks to Mira that was the case. "Like I said, accidents happen."

Cana rolled her eyes again and took another drink. "She said it was a honeymoon suite too."

"It was the only room available." He sighed. "So what's your point? I don't question you about where you sleep at."

"Do you want to know? Those are some interesting stories." Cana swished the contents of her flask around, grinning.

"Don't be gross." Natsu rolled his eyes at her. She loved to tease him.

"The real interesting news," his sister continued, ignoring him, "came when she started ranting about the time you called her in the middle of the night so she could wire a large amount of money for a Manhattan apartment."

"Mira needs to stop talking to you," Natsu grumbled.

"But I asked myself, 'Is Mira really talking about _my_ little brother?' The same Natsu who hates New York and only visits to see the Redfoxes or for work?" Cana shook her head in mock disbelief. "Mira had to be mistaken because you swore you would never live in a place where the people were outnumbered by the rats. That's why you stay at Gajeel's place instead of getting a hotel room or getting a small apartment of your own."

What Cana was saying was true—at one point in time. New York hadn't been his number one place to visit. His visits were always brief on purpose. The city was a maze of dirty gray buildings to him. There were only a few redeeming qualities at best but nothing significant to warrant moving there permanently. That was what Natsu had thought—before he had met Lucy that is.

Suddenly, the city looked different. The gray masses had a certain splendor to them that hadn't been there before. Especially, if he thought Lucy would be in one of them. There were more attractive qualities he hadn't noticed, or maybe he never paid attention to them. New York didn't feel so insufferable anymore.

"So, little brother," Cana took another drink from her flask. "I want to meet her."

"Meet who?" Natsu asked tightly while tossing clothes unceremoniously into his duffle bag. Drunk Mira was causing _him_ the headache now. How did Cana know just when to get his accountant drunk? Even though speaking to Cana about his financial affairs was breaking a confidentiality agreement, Natsu couldn't really blame Mira. Cana was a persuasive drunk. He had seen her in action before. Many of the homes she had all around the world were a result of her drunken talents.

"Don't play dumb." Cana crossed her arms. "Mira told me enough details that I know you weren't in that honeymoon suite alone. And I know there's no way in hell you would buy a Manhattan apartment just to be closer to Gajeel. There's only one reason for all this strange activity of yours. Who is she?"

"You're too loud. Let it go." Natsu brushed off her question, walking around his closet to gather more clothes, shoes, and other necessities for his trip. There was no way he was planning on telling Cana about Lucy. His sister was impulsive. She would fly to New York, and Natsu wouldn't know peace again. Although, he feared that thought had already crossed her mind from how she was speaking.

"Yeah. Not gonna happen, especially since you're taking that with you," his sister said, pointing to the pocket he had shoved the velvet box in earlier.

Natsu went rigid for a moment. _Damnit. She saw._

"Why are you still here?" Natsu went back to packing but this time with added haste.

"Because you're planning on giving that to someone, and I want to know who she is. Or is that for a man?"

"Who said I'm planning on giving that to anyone?"

"Hmmm?" Cana stepped closer, smirking at him as she took another swig from her flask. "Little brother, did you forget you can't lie to your big sister? You _are_ planning on giving this to someone. It's written all over your face."

He narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "I'm not telling you anything. The second I do you'll go bother her—"

"So it _is_ for a girl!" Cana's eyes widened as she stepped back, a smile replacing her smirk.

 _Damnit!_ Natsu cursed his slip-up.

"Wait until I tell our dads. And Gajeel…" Cana's eyes took on a devilish glint. "He owes me a pretty penny."

"I don't have time for this." Natsu zipped up his duffle bag and slung it over his shoulder, making his way to the living room with Cana at his heels.

"Come on, Natsu." Cana grabbed his arm to stop him. "I'm just happy for you. I know we don't talk about the past—"

"So don't," he cut her off. Any mention of the past always made him tense up. Turning around, he saw that Cana was trying to give him her version of an apologetic smile. He sighed, letting his annoyance drop away. "Sorry, Cana."

"It's okay," she shrugged off his apology, taking a long drink from the flask before tucking it back into her boot. "I just know what that means to you. So she's pretty special, right?"

"Special?" A smile stretched across his face when he thought of Lucy. Natsu pulled out the box and stared down at it.

 _Do you know what a man's greatest treasure is?_ his dad's voice echoed in his head again. He tucked the box back in his pocket, having finally found his answer.

"Yeah, she is."

* * *

Natsu had thought about calling Lucy to let her know he was back in New York but had decided it was better to surprise her. He stood outside her apartment door, his heart hammering in his chest, the velvet box feeling heavy in his pocket.

 _Why am I nervous?_ Natsu shoved the key into the lock and twisted it.

"Lu-" He began to call out her name as he opened the door and then stopped. It was in the middle of the day on a Tuesday, which meant Lucy would be at the office. She wouldn't be at home. It had been nearly three months, what was a few more hours of waiting?

The door fully opened to the familiar sight of her living room. He closed the door behind him, taking everything in. It was just like he remembered. The only changes were the Christmas decorations thrown up around the area. He walked further into the living room and paused. Lucy wasn't at the office like he had thought. Lucy was standing right there. Her back was to him, but she wasn't alone. There was a man standing in front of her. Natsu watched as the man gripped the sides of Lucy's arms and leaned forward.

Natsu reacted.

He dropped his bag and lunged for the man, pulling him away from Lucy before he could hurt her. Slamming the man's back against the nearest wall, one of Natsu's hands clutched the man's shirt as he balled his other hand into a fist and aimed it at the man's shocked face.

"Natsu, stop!" Lucy grabbed his elbow to stop him from throwing the punch.

"Don't worry, Lucy." He kept his eyes on the man, glaring at the stranger. "I won't let him hurt you."

"No," Lucy pleaded, "don't hurt him."

Natsu turned his head toward her then. He was confused. This person was clearly about to attack her, so why was she concerned about Natsu hurting him?

"Lucy." He lowered his fist, slowly. A terrible feeling started forming in the pit of his stomach. "Who is he?"

Had he misread the situation? The man was just a coworker, right? He was definitely one of her employees. They were just working on some project together; Natsu knew how much of a workaholic Lucy was. The guy had just lost his balance and grabbed hold of her, or maybe he was a friend―someone who needed a place to stay while touring the city. Or was he a family member? A cousin, perhaps? That would explain the concern in her eyes. That would explain why Lucy didn't want Natsu to hurt him.

"He's…" She looked down, unable to meet his gaze. Why did that action make Natsu's heart constrict? "Loke is…"

The man, Loke, smacked Natsu's hand aside before straightening his shirt. Loke glared at Natsu, shoving him aside as he stepped in front of Lucy.

"I'm her husband. Who the hell are you?"

* * *

 **A/N:**  
First! Thanks be to betas who make this chapter Yulia, Smiley, PondFrost and Raz. I can't post anything without you lovely betas. Thank you for being so quick to help me out and all the wonderful feedback. Dream team!

Hello stars!

Long time...no chapter. I know. x.x (It's been too long)

I actually don't want to tell you that this has been sitting in my drive, nearly finished since...well...nevermind I won't tell you. You guys probably hate me enough already after reading this. xDI have been waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting to write the end scene of this chapter since chapter 2. 22 chapters later and viola!

If only school will stop getting in the way and let me write in peace, since I want to tell you all what happens next. Love you all for being so patient and sticking with this story. I hope you guys stick around and see how it will, eventually, end.

Also, to all my fellow American readers, enjoy your Thanksgiving this coming week. Let your pies be in abundance. ;D


	25. Chapter 25

**Nearly 3 Months Earlier**

"Did the author give you an explanation?" Lucy asked as she stared at the terminated contract in front of her. She looked up when she heard sniffling and saw Aries on the verge of tears. "Hey, hey." Standing quickly, Lucy walked around her desk and draped an arm around her friend's shoulders while reaching for the box of tissues with the other. "Aries, it's okay. Things like this happen in our industry. It's not the end of the world."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I know. It's just," Aries stammered, her voice heavy with the tears she was trying to hold back. "I think the author left because of me. "

"Because of you? Why do you think that?"

As co-director of the children's publishing department, Aries personally worked with a handful of authors throughout the year. The compliments she received from the authors she worked with in their acknowledgements were always glowing. It was hard to believe that an author Aries was personally overseeing would cancel his contract because of her.

Aries burst into tears, no longer capable of holding them back. Quickly plucking several tissues from the box, she wiped at her eyes furiously before blowing her nose. This cycle went on for several minutes with Lucy trying to offer words of comfort, but they only made Aries cry harder. Lucy was forced to remain silent and just wait until Aries calmed herself down.

This was the second time Aries had been in her office, upset over a cancelled contract. Last week, another author had decided to cancel the publication of his book and returned his advance in full. Although occurrences like these did happen in their industry, it was rare to have two cancellations with the same editor merely a week a part. If this was anyone else, Lucy would have been concerned that the editor was doing something to misrepresent the company and scare off authors, but this was Aries. No one worked harder to champion an author's book than she did. The whole situation was troubling, but Lucy didn't want to upset Aries any further. She would look into the matter personally and see what was going on.

"Why don't you take next week off, Aries?" Lucy stood and grabbed the trash bin from under her desk, offering it to her friend so she could dispose of her tear-stained tissues.

"Are you—Are you firing me?" Aries blubbered, her hands already reaching for more tissues to soak up another flood of tears.

"No, of course not!" Lucy said quickly. "I'm not going to fire you. I just thought—"

"Forgive the intrusion, ma'am." Lucy looked up to see Virgo enter her office, looking surprisingly annoyed. "You have a visitor that insists on speaking with you."

 _A visitor?_ Lucy wasn't expecting anyone to stop by and all her meetings were finished for the day. Levy and Gajeel had gone out of town with his parents so it couldn't be them; Gray was still in Italy with Juvia; and Natsu….There was no way it was him, even though Lucy wished he was here. Natsu would have barged into her office unannounced, his dark eyes glinting with mischief and his mouth tilted in a smirk. It had only been a week since he had left, but she felt his absence significantly. Lucy continued with her training, going through the usual routines of exercises and managing her sparring sessions with any willing gym member. Although, it was hard to find anyone worth much of a challenge. When she wasn't at the gym, she focused on her work, trying to drown out Natsu's absence with proposals, contracts, P&Ls and anything else Lucy could think of. His departure didn't cripple her, but it deflated something inside. It just didn't feel right without him there.

"I'm sorry, Virgo. Please tell the person that he or she will have to wait." Lucy looked down at Aries, who had was silent as tears flowed down her cheeks. "In fact, could you schedule them an appointment for Monday morning? I'm unavailable at the moment. If it's something urgent, then just take down the information and I'll look into it over the weekend."

"I understand ma'am. I did suggest scheduling an appointment but she—"

"I told her I didn't need an appointment to see a brat who ran away from home." A woman entered the office and the moment Lucy saw her, her eyes widened in shock.

"Wait a moment. I didn't say you could come in here." Virgo protested, but to no avail. Brushing past Lucy's secretary, the woman's heels clicked hard against the floor as she made her way to the center of the room.

For Lucy, there was no mistaking who she was. From her pin-straight blue hair—slicked back with not a strand out of place—to the familiar, navy blue suit skirt she wore that accentuated her hourglass figure, nothing had changed. It was like she had walked out of one of Lucy's childhood memories. And like in Lucy's memories, somehow, the woman's beautiful features weren't marred by the permanent scowl she wore and her dark blue eyes seemed to glitter even as they glared in her direction.

Lucy stepped back, gripping the edge of her desk for support. "A-A-Aquarius."

Aquarius stood in Lucy's office, a person from her past she never thought she would see again. _If Aquarius is here, then could that mean...?_ Lucy's eyes drifted to the door, fear gripping her as she held her breath. _Is he here?_

"It's just me," Aquarius answered Lucy's unvoiced question. She stared at Lucy and for a moment, Lucy thought there might have been a flicker of pity in her eyes but then it was gone. The mad panic that was rising in Lucy's heart eased. She relaxed the death-grip she had on her desk and felt some of the tension in her body escape. Her memories of Aquarius weren't cheerful, but Lucy remembered the woman never lied.

"Why are you—"

"Five years in this city and it seems you've forgotten all your manners," Aquarius interrupted. "No wonder your employees are sniveling in your office," she looked back at Virgo and motioned toward Aries as she spoke, "obviously the girl is too distraught to be productive. She can conclude her business with your boss at a later time. Take her somewhere and hold all calls and visitations, urgent or otherwise, until our meeting is concluded."

Virgo arched her brow, annoyed with Aquarius's bossy personality. It was only with the slightest of nods from Lucy did Virgo relent. "I understand," she replied tersely.

"Aries—"

"I'm sorry Lucy," Aries jumped up from her chair, suddenly overly cheerful. "Just look at me, crying in your office instead of figuring something out. I'm sorry to have bothered you and now I'm holding up another meeting." Gathering her belongings, Aries uttered several more apologies as she turned to leave the office, scurrying past Aquarius to follow Virgo out.

"Now," Aquarius began once they were alone. She crossed the room to stand in front of Lucy, her dark eyes fixed on her. "Sit down. We need to talk." She moved past Lucy to sit behind the desk, leaning into the chair as if this was _her_ office. Still shocked by Aquarius's presence, Lucy ignored the fact that she had taken her seat and sat down where Aries had been sitting moments before.

"How...how did you…" Lucy trailed off, hating how small her voice came out.

"How did I find you?" At this, Aquarius laughed, but it was a dry and humorless sound. "Was that your attempt at a joke? Did you really believe he didn't know where you were all this time?" Lucy looked down at her feet. She _had_ thought that. Aquarius shook her head. "You should know running away to the other side of the country and changing your last name is not nearly enough to hide from him."

"I didn't run away," Lucy protested. "I—"

"I'm not here to debate that issue," Aquarius cut her off, clearly not appreciating Lucy's rebuttal.

 _He knows where I am_. Lucy clenched her hands into fists on her lap. "What does my father want with me?"

Aquarius was her father's lawyer, hired shortly after Lucy's mother's death. Lucy had thought her father intended for Aquarius to become Lucy's new stepmother. She was only seven when her mother had died of a strange illness. The loss was devastating. There were still things a young girl at her age needed her mother for, especially since her father started distancing himself from her, growing colder every day. However, Aquarius made it very clear that she was there to do the job she was hired to do, nothing more and nothing less. Which meant Lucy received the same cold and distant treatment from both her father and Aquarius.

"He doesn't want anything," Aquarius sighed. "I'm here because your father is dead."

* * *

Outside the window, there was nothing but a sea of gray, dark clouds. Lucy turned away, pulling the shutter down. Her laptop sat in her bag, occupying the empty seat next to her. It was the only thing she had brought with her when she left her office with Aquarius, heading to the airport to board the private plane that awaited them. She'd considered doing some work during the 13 hour flight, but Lucy couldn't concentrate.

 _Father is… dead._

Lucy couldn't see how that was possible. Her heart didn't ache at those words. She didn't feel an overwhelming sadness; she didn't feel anything at all after Aquarius told her he had died two weeks prior. All Lucy felt was a sense of befuddlement. Her father had been such an indomitable force in her life. It was hard to believe someone like him could be gone so suddenly. Her father had been a proud man. In her mind, he was too proud even for death to want anything to do with her. The only thing she could focus on was the fact that, after five years, she was going back to _that_ place. Something she swore she would never do again.

One of the plane's personal flight attendants smiled as he passed Lucy, making his way to Aquarius who had taken a seat on the opposite side of the plane. He bent down and whispered in Aquarius's ear, before returning back to his station.

"We'll be landing in 10 minutes," Aquarius announced, not looking up from the laptop she had been furiously typing on since they had boarded the plane. Those were the first words she had spoken to Lucy since they had left New York.

After Aquarius had delivered the news of her father's death, she stated Lucy needed to return with her to hear the reading of her father's will. The requirements specifically stated that Aquarius was not allowed to divulge the contents to Lucy unless she returned to her home. This all confused Lucy. Her father had made it very clear that he had disowned her. What did her father's will have to do with her?

No matter how much she asked, Aquarius remained silent, until, finally, Lucy relented and agreed to return with her. Lucy had told herself it was so she could have closure, to really put the ghosts of her past to rest. Now, as the plane descended, returning her to the place that had been nothing but a nightmare for Lucy, the anxiety she had been suppressing slowly rose up inside of her.

"Aloha!" A greeter enthusiastically shouted as he tried to offer Aquarius and Lucy leis when they stepped off the plane. It was one in the morning by the time their plane landed, and although Lucy knew the greeter meant well, his exuberance made her feel even more weary. She tried to give him a smile, but it turned into more of a grimace. Whereas Aquarius, not known for her cheerfulness to begin with, gave the man a withering look that erased his smile.

"We've landed," Aquarius spoke into the cell phone she had retrieved from the inside pocket of her suit. "Have the helicopter ready by the time we get there. I don't want any delays." She ended the call, pocketing the phone again as she ushered Lucy into the back of a black car with heavily tinted windows and slid in after her. The second the door clicked shut, the driver drove off across the tarmac.

It was a short car drive from Honolulu International Airport to where the helicopter was stationed. The large blades were already whirling by the time they arrived, creating a spiral of air that made Lucy's hair whip around her the moment she left the safety of the car. Aquarius wasn't disturbed by the gusts, walking confidently toward the helicopter. The driver offered his arm to Lucy, who happily took it. He guided her toward the open door of the chopper, helping her strap inside and handing her a headset.

"Thank you!" she tried to shout over the noise, but her words were picked up and tossed away by the wind. The driver tipped his hat slightly, probably having read her lips, before sliding the door of the helicopter shut. Lucy watched as the driver jogged back to the car before driving off.

"—taking off now." The pilot's voice crackled into her headset and a second later, they were back in the sky, heading north. Lucy knew it would take another two hours before they reached the private island where their destination was located. Aquarius was still working on her own laptop, ignoring Lucy's presence altogether. It seemed five years apart wasn't enough to change that. She sighed, leaning her head against the side of helicopter, watching the scenery below shift from dark lands to dark ocean. She watched the waters below for some time, lost in her thoughts until she felt the helicopter start to tilt to the right. It scaled a small mountain peak, and dipped as it crest its height. The chopper leveled and headed toward the large manor in the distance. Lucy looked away from the window then, staring at the floor of the helicopter instead.

"Prepare for landing." The pilot announced as he hovered the craft above a lit helipad, gently guiding them down.

It was just after three in the morning and Lucy was exhausted. She hadn't been able to sleep at all during any leg of their journey. Her nerves wouldn't let her relax. It was 8 am back in New York, so she had officially been up for 24 hours. She shook her head slightly, trying to wake herself up. All she needed was a cup of coffee, and then Lucy would be able to handle another hour or two to hear what Aquarius needed to say before she booked the next flight back to New York. Get in and get out. That was her plan.

Aquarius snapped her laptop shut, checked her phone and stored it away. The door opened and she stepped out, straightening her suit jacket before making her way inside. Lucy took a deep breath, slowly unstrapping herself and removing her headset. Following after Aquarius, Lucy kept her head bowed as she walked. She let the sound of Aquarius's heels and her memory guide her inside. If she didn't pay attention to anything, if she didn't look around, she wouldn't remember anything unnecessary. Lucy could pretend she didn't know where she was.

When they came to the back entrance of the manor, Lucy froze at the doorstep, her eyes focused on the threshold. Five years ago, she had stood on the other side of the doorstep, frozen just like this. Lucy remembered that day. It wasn't fear which had stopped her back then, but a surging feeling of happiness. One more step and she would be free. And she had taken that step, swearing to herself she would never be on the other side of that threshold again. But now, here she was.

Lucy closed her eyes and crossed over.

Aquarius was waiting for her at the foot of the back staircase. Lucy focused on Aquarius's tapping heel against the polished floors. She could feel the walls pressing on her, the ghosts of moments she buried here whispering to her. Digging her fingernails into the palms of her hands, Lucy tucked her balled fists under her armpits as she crossed her arms.

 _Get in. Get out. Get in. Get out. Don't focus. Don't remember. Block it all out. You're not staying. You're not staying. He's not here. He's not here. He's not here. He can't trap you. You're fr-_

"Did you hear me?" Aquarius asked, ceasing her foot tapping.

"Could you...could you repeat what you said?" Lucy lifted her eyes to the height of Aquarius mouth, watching as her lips tugged themselves lower into a deeper frown.

"Meet me in my office at 10 am sharp," Aquarius repeated, her words ringing with irritation. "You can rest in your room until then. I instructed the staff to have it prepared for you. However, they were told not to speak with you until after our meeting. And, you are not allowed to ask them any questions either. Is that clear?"

 _Stay here? No_. Lucy swallowed the panic, pushing it back down inside of her. "That's not necessary," sh said, digging her nails further into her palms. "I've come back here with you, so just tell me what you need to say now."

"Tch," she clicked her tongue in annoyance. "You've been back for five minutes and you're already demanding things. This is not up for negotiation. 10 a.m. sharp." Before Lucy could protest further, Aquarius was already striding down one of the many dark hallways, disappearing deeper into the manor.

Lucy followed the staircase up with her eyes, counting until she got to the fifth and final landing. Her bedroom was located at the very end of the east wing, on the fifth floor. It was the place she had spent most of her childhood in, wishing she could escape this gilded cage. Placing her hand on the banister, Lucy took the first step up and felt the old feelings of anxiety flare up again.

"This is ridiculous," Lucy chided herself aloud. "You're not a child anymore." She took another step as she spoke to herself. "One night. You can handle one night." All the way up, Lucy spoke softly to herself, giving herself the encouragement to continue climbing the five flights and make her way down the hall. She placed her hand on the doorknob of her bedroom, twisting it and letting the door swing open slowly. "He can't look you away anymore."

The room was just how she had left it five years ago. Even unused rooms were kept in immaculate condition—even if those who lived here were often ignored. Compared to the other rooms in the manor, Lucy's bedroom would be considered modest in size and plain in terms of decoration. The walls were a warm beige and the rest of the room followed the same neutral tones. It held the standard furnishings: a bed, a desk, and a wardrobe. A door on the left side led to a bathroom and more closet space. On the opposite wall, french doors led out onto a balcony that faced the sea. The only luxurious items were the custom made bookcases that lined most of the walls of the room. They were filled with first editions and rare books, childhood favorites and treasured stories her mother had spent nights reading to her when she was a girl. Lucy ran her fingers over the worn and loved spines, gently greeting her dear friends. There wasn't a speck of dust on any of the books, thanks to the draconian manner the house was run under. It was because of these books that she had been able to survive so long in this loveless house. She could escape the loneliness and the abandonment simply by opening a book. When she was reading a book, Lucy wasn't the unloved daughter of a cruel man, but a pirate, a explorer, or a warrior. For a moment, she was strong and fearless.

A particular book stood out amongst the others and Lucy slid it out from the shelf. It was her favorite. The one her mother had read from often when she was still alive. It was the book about the wingless fairy—the story Lucy had started to tell to Natsu to distract him from his fear of flying. It had been painful leaving it behind the night she had decided to leave. She wouldn't leave without it this time.

The canopy bed was turned down, the fluffy pillows plumped and practically begging Lucy to lie down and sleep. Setting the book on the nightstand, Lucy stripped out of her work clothes and into the soft chemise that had been laid out for her. She slid into the bed, grabbing the book before pulling the covers over her head, hoping the bedding would act as a barrier against the nightmares that often plagued her as a child. Snuggling with her cherished book, Lucy closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

The next morning, Lucy was awoken by cold water being doused on her. Her first thoughts went to her mother's book, fearing it might have been ruined by the water. To her relief, she saw that it hadn't been a victim. Aquarius stood over Lucy, holding the book in her hand and slamming an empty pitcher on the nightstand with the other.

"I said 10 am sharp," Aquarius glowered down at her. "It's now 10:11."

Salt coated her tongue and the smell of the ocean clung to her. "Is this sea water?" Lucy sputtered, shivering in her soaked clothes.

"At 10:01 I sent someone to fill this pitcher from the ocean. Seven minutes later he returned here. It took me three minutes from then, to walk from my office to your room to find you still sleeping like a spoiled brat, making others wait on you."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"

"If I have to wait on you for one more minute, I'll throw you into the ocean next. Let's go." Aquarius slid the book back in its place on the shelf, before storming out of the room.

Lucy had only a heartbeat to scramble out of the soaked sheets and run into the bathroom to grab a plush robe before following Aquarius to her office. It was on the fourth level of the manor and near the entrance of the west wing. She had to skid to a halt to avoid crashing into Aquarius when Lucy finally caught up to her.

Aquarius opened her office door and Lucy entered after her. The first thing that caught her attention was the view. The far wall was made entirely of a smooth, clear glass that filled the room with an impressive view of the ocean. It supplied the space with bright, natural light complimenting the soft blue walls and light furnishings. The entire room gave off a relaxed and welcoming feel, unlike the person who occupied it.

"Your father left very specific instructions on how he wanted his will to be executed. As the executor of his will, I have followed the final will and testament of your father to the letter." Aquarius removed a small, gold key from her pocket and inserted it into the keyhole of one of the desk drawers. A black box was placed neatly on the desktop before she closed and locked the drawer again, pocketing the key. Lucy sat in a plush navy blue armchair, trying to repress her shivers as she waited for Aquarius to tell her what this was all about. Her father was not a man of false threats. When he said he disowned her, she had no doubts that he had meant it.

"In order to proceed, I need to confirm your identity," Aquarius slid the black box across the desk. "Place your right hand on top of the box."

"You know who I am," Lucy laughed trying to lighten up the mood. "This is silly."

"I'm not one to make jokes when it comes to serious matters." Aquarius's scowl deepened. "Nor am I one to repeat myself."

With a sigh, Lucy reached out and placed her right hand on the box. She felt a small prick at the pads of of her fingers and she snatched her hand back. The box beeped before opening. Aquarius took out a small stack of papers and pushed the box to the side.

"The box could only be unlocked by the blood sample of Lucy Selene Diamant," Aquarius read off the top page of the stack. It was weird for Lucy to hear her old name spoken aloud after so long. "If another tried to open the box, or tried to remove it from the island, the contents stored within would have been destroyed."

 _He always had to do things with an extra flare_ , Lucy thought sourly as she massaged the pads of her fingers.

" _I will keep this simple,"_ Aquarius began, as she read from the paper aloud. _"My business was built to withstand even the death of its creator. I will appoint my lawyer, Aquarius, to step into my position on all executive levels and as a member of the board. Specific instructions were left to her for her to follow._

 _Layla's Island and the estate erected on the property are never to be sold under any circumstances. The staff employed to maintain the land and the estate are to remain and no member may be fired. Their wages are not to be decreased or withheld for any reason. I leave these aforementioned assets, as well as all other assets under my name, to my daughter and sole heir, Lucy Selene Diamant._ "

Aquarius slid the paper across the desk so Lucy could read the handwritten words. At the end of the paper was her father's signature: Jude Robert Diamant.

"This is a list of the assets under your father's name," Aquarius slid a thick stack of papers over to Lucy. "And these are instructions left to me in regards to your father's transportation business and other business investments left for me to manage." This stack of papers was swept into her briefcase and closed. "Although you are not in charge of the management of these business endeavors, you will receive an amount of the profits that Jude had already established under your name. I will leave it as is. There should be a statement on the final page as to the amount that the accounts held the last time the numbers were ran. If you have—"

"I don't understand." Lucy stared at the paper, reading the line over and over again.

 _I leave these aforementioned assets, as well as all other assets under my name, to my daughter and sole heir, Lucy Selene Diamant_.

"My father disinherited me. He said if I left, if I married L—" The word stuck in her throat. It was hard to speak the name—to even think about that person.

"Yes. That brings me to my next point." Aquarius leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. "Your father was not bluffing when he said he would disinherit you if you married Loke." Lucy tensed. It seemed Aquarius had no problem saying his name. "But you're not married. You never were."

"What do you mean, I'm not married?"

Lucy remembered that day. The small ceremony on the beach as the sun set in the background. The simple band Loke placed on her finger. She had left her father and had been excited to start the new chapter of freedom with someone she loved and who loved her back. There were no words for the overwhelming feelings she had felt on that day. Lucy stroked her ring finger with her thumb, feeling for the ring she knew was buried in her ottoman at home.

"Your naivety is frustrating. Your father would not allow his only daughter to run off and marry a gold-digging playboy and not do anything. The officiant was a fraud, an actor hired by him. Your marriage license was forged too and never filed. He asked if I would make sure of that. You two may have had a wedding, but you were never legally married."

 _All of it...was a lie?_

"How could he?" Lucy stood, anger filling her up quickly. "He had no right to interfere! That was—That was the happiest day of my life! "

"No right?" Aquarius laughed dryly. "Where is Loke now then?"

When Lucy didn't answer, Aquarius shook her head. "He left you the moment he realized you weren't going to be his pretty little piggy bank."

"That's not—" Lucy tried to defend Loke, but Aquarius barreled on, speaking over her.

"Open your eyes, you stupid girl. Loke never loved you, he just loved your father's money."

Lucy bit the inside of her cheek. The first year after they had gotten married, every day was filled with bliss. She had never known such happiness, not after her mother had died. Loke made her feel loved, a feeling she had been deprived of for most her childhood. All the time they spent together, Loke would fill every second with love and affection. How could Lucy believe that was all an act? How could she believe Loke would betray her heart like that, especially since he knew about the isolation her father kept her in? There had to be an explanation as to why Loke had left without a word. Aquarius could call her naive or stupid or whatever else, but that's what Lucy believed. She clung onto that small hope with all her might, knowing he would come back to her and explain everything. There was a part of her, that still loved him after all.

"You don't know him like I do," she said quietly, more as a reminder to herself. "Last time I left, I didn't say a word to anyone. This time, I'll make myself crystal clear." She spoke louder, holding the lawyer's gaze. "I'm going to leave here and never return. So don't look for me and don't try to contact me. I want nothing from a man who never wanted a thing to do with me, except to lock me away in this place. You can burn my inheritance for all I care."

"You're just going to throw away everything, just like that?" Aquarius sighed, looking away from Lucy. "I'm just glad your mother isn't alive to see how truly pathetic her daughter turned out to be. You'd be such a disappointment to her." The woman had always been cold, but never once had her words struck Lucy so profoundly. Her heart ached at the mention of her mother, a woman Aquarius never even knew and had no right to speak as if she did.

"From the moment you met me, you hated me. I spent so much time wondering what I did to you to make you so cold toward me. I couldn't think of a single answer that made sense. But then, I realized, that's just who you are, Aquarius." Lucy felt the anger boiling through her, but she kept her voice calm, adopting the same icy demeanor Aquarius always wore. "Don't you dare speak about my mother again. Someone as cold and heartless as you doesn't have that right."

The door slammed shut behind her as Lucy stormed out of Aquarius's office. It had been a horrible mistake returning to the island. Lucy thought it would bring her closure, but it only stirred up awful memories. She ran up the stairs, and grabbed her mother's book off the shelf. With her hair still dripping and salt water still coating her skin, Lucy ran down the five flights of stairs and out the door. Just like last time, Lucy never looked back.

* * *

"Good morning, everyone," Lucy entered the lobby of her company, nursing a large cup of coffee. The toll of taking back-to-back cross country flights was making it impossible to stay awake. Her body was begging her for sleep, but that was the last thing she wanted to do. After briefly falling asleep on the plane, Lucy woke from a nightmare that had her heart racing. She couldn't remember the details, but the only way she knew how to handle nightmares was with work and other distractions.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE CANCELLING YOUR CONTRACT WITH US?!"

Lucy's exhaustion suddenly evaporated as she saw a fuming Virgo pacing in front of her desk. Virgo had a permanently calm demeanor. There wasn't an instance that Lucy could recall where Virgo had ever lost her temper. However, here she was, Monday morning, yelling into her headpiece. Lucy just stood there watching, blinking in disbelief. It was then that she started taking in the rest of her surroundings. Editors were shouting at their assistants, telling them to stop working on projects they weren't even going to publish. The sales team was juggling phones and from she could hear, they were talking to distributors, printing houses, and the storage warehouses. Urano Metria was in chaos.

"What is going on here?" Lucy shouted and everyone came to a halt.

"Ms. Heartfilia," A woman stepped out of Lucy's office, dressed smartly in a pantsuit.

"Jeannette," Lucy looked at her, surprised to see one of the members from Urano Metria's Board of Directors. "This is a surprise." She tried to recover from the shock. This was the worst possible time for her to make an unscheduled visit. If she reported back to the other Board members about the state of the company, then they could decide to pull their investments. Urano Metria was profitable, but it still was a young company. It couldn't exist without their generous contributions.

"We would like to speak with you." Jeannette stepped aside, revealing the other four members that made up the Board of Directors as well as the three lawyers hired to handle the company's contracts. Their faces were set and grim. Whatever they had to talk about, wouldn't be good.

"I see," Lucy noted. "Virgo."

Her secretary walked over to her and looked at her with an unvoiced apology in her eyes. Lucy nodded slightly, indicating she didn't blame her for any of this. "Please show our board members to the conference room and make sure they're comfortable. I will join you in five minutes and we can talk about the business you wish to discuss."

Jeannette nodded and she followed Virgo along with the rest of the board members to the conference room down the hall. Lucy entered her office after they left, her mind frantic. What was going on? Everything had been fine when she left on Friday. What had happened in the span of two days to make the Board show up unannounced?

"Ma'am," Virgo called out as she slipped into the office.

"Virgo, what is happening? Why wasn't I informed of the situation—whatever the situation is?"

"We tried to reach you, but you left your phone on your desk and I didn't have another number to reach you at."

Lucy pulled the top drawer of her desk open and sure enough, her phone was there. The screen was full of notifications and missed calls from various members of her staff as well as agents and authors. Lucy shut the drawer with a little more force than she meant to.

"Briefly, before I meet the Board, what is the emergency that has everyone acting like this?"

Virgo pressed her lips together, her brow crumbling as she searched for the words to say. "There's no easy way to say this but, Urano Metria might be…finished." 

**Three weeks later**

"Hey, Lucy." Levy's voice played on the answering machine. "I know you're there listening, and I'm not mad you haven't returned any of my calls. I know this is a tough time for you. I spoke with Virgo the other day and none of your employees blame you. You even worked your ass off to find them all replacement jobs. They're really grateful for everything you did." There was pause as if Levy was trying to figure out the best words to say. Lucy just buried her head, deeper under the covers. "I'm bringing over dinner tonight after work and some cookies Gajeel made for you. You don't have to eat those…." Levy chuckled but went quiet. Lucy thought it was the end of the message, but Levy continued. "I know I don't exactly understand how you feel. You put everything into your company and for it all to be gone—"

Lucy winced at those words. She could still remember hearing the Board members talk about pulling their investments and liquidizing the company after every author petitioned to cancel their contracts. Even if Urano Metria decided to reinforce the contracts and hold the authors to the terms that were agreed upon, the company would have to pause production and pull the books from the shelves until the legal disputes were over. That would be a costly endeavor and one that would have to be done for every single author. The company would have no revenue coming in, since every author was petitioning for release, making the heavy litigation costs seem unfeasible. Not to mention, if they did win, the trust of Urano Metria was too damaged within the publishing community. How would they market to future clients to allow them to publish their books after this? The Board said it would be best to cut their losses now.

"—but you have to take care of yourself. I'm worried about you Lu." Levy's voice choked up, but she rushed a reminder about her stopping by for dinner before hanging up.

It seemed Lucy's seclusion was over. It wasn't like Lucy was ignoring Levy or anyone else on purpose. She didn't know what to say. She felt like a complete failure. If Levy was coming over, she didn't want her friend to find her curled up in bed. With that thought, she threw back the covers and headed for the bathroom. She turned the faucet and waited until the water was hot before stripping and jumping in.

As she was getting out of the shower, the doorbell rang. Lucy quickly threw on a robe and raced to the door, thinking it was Levy. It was too early for dinner, but Levy might have decided to stop by earlier.

"Hey, Levy. Listen, I'm—"

"I finally found you." Lucy felt arms wrap around her, squeezing her tight. Her reflexes took over. She broke out of the embrace the way Natsu had taught her and grabbed one of the stranger's arms, twisting it as she moved. There was a cry of pain, before Lucy shoved the person against the doorframe. She hadn't been to the gym ever since she lost her company. Her movements were slower than they used to be, but she was thankful that she wasn't completely rusty.

"Who are you and what do you want with me?" She demanded, twisting the person's arm up as she spoke.

The person hissed with pain. "Lucy. W-Wait. It's me. Loke."

Lucy let him go, dropping his arm as if it were a hot kettle. She backed away, only stopping when her back pressed against the hallway wall. She watched as he turned around, moving his arm gingerly. His hair was different. That was the first thing she noticed. It was shorter, the orange locks now short spikes all across his head. However, everything else was the same. His face. His voice. His hazel eyes that smiled down at her. After five years, the first man she had ever given her heart too—the first man she had ever loved, had returned.

A tremor started in her legs, making them shake uncontrollably. The strength in them disappeared, and she felt herself falling to the ground. Loke caught her, wrapping his arm around her waist. Instinctively, she leaned into him, feeling weak. He scooped her up, carrying her back into the apartment bridal style, and closed the door behind him.

Loke stared down at her as he carried her to her couch, looking at her like she was a dream that didn't quite seem real. Lucy was sure she was giving him the same look in return. Every place his body made contact with hers, she felt intensely. He laid her down on the couch, crouching down so their eyes were nearly leveled.

"Are you alright?" Loke's hazel's eyes were full of concern. Lucy could see herself reflected in them, and her heart started beating rapidly. His hand moved to rest on her forehead as he felt for signs of a fever. "You're warm."

Her body bolted upright, a blush creeping across her cheeks as she sat up. Her skin tingled where his hand had touched her. She turned her body, her eyes searching his face. It was him. There was no mistaking it. He was right there. All she had to do was reach out and touch him. Her hand was resting on his cheek before she even realized she had moved it. He leaned into her touch, his hand resting on top of hers.

"Loke?" Her voice was strained, as she held back the tears gathering in her eyes. "You're really here?"

Loke didn't say anything. He stood up and tugged her up along with him before wrapping her in his arms once again. Lucy felt him shaking. He held her as if he thought she would disappear. Her hands curled up against his chest, as she breathed in his familiar scent. He smelled like the night, with a hint of marigolds. It brought a memory to her mind of the two of them lying in a field, watching stars shoot across the sky. He told her to make a wish, but she couldn't think of anything else she wanted as she lied in his arms. He smelled like home. "God, I've missed you, Lucy," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion while pressing her against his chest.

Lucy pushed him away. Hurt flashed in his eyes. Her heart ached for his arms to be around her again, but she couldn't let herself get caught up in her emotions. She wrapped her arms around her to keep from reaching out to him again. There was no denying her racing heart, but she couldn't forget all the pain she had suffered when he left her. Loke couldn't just come back in and sweep the five years of absence away like nothing had happened.

"Five years." Lucy's voice trembled as she spoke. "For five years, I had no idea where you were…" her voice grew quieter, the tears morphing her words. "...if you were okay...if you were coming back. Do you have any idea what you put me through? How scared I was for you?"

"Lu—"

"I could understand if you didn't want to be with me. If you regretted marrying me. If you didn't love me anymore..." She made herself look at him then, and felt all the heartache she suppressed for so long coming to the surface.

"What are you saying?" Loke's voice was soft, he took a few steps toward her. "None of that is true. Being with you, marrying you, Lucy, how could I regret any of that? I love you."

"So why did you leave without even saying goodbye?"

Loke froze. His brow crumpled slightly, shame coloring his eyes. "I didn't have a choice," he answered, slowly. He took a breath, looking toward the window as he continued. "Your father didn't want us to be together. He made that very clear, but I thought he would come around to the idea if he saw how happy we both were. How much in love we were. But I was wrong." He moved to sit on the couch, hanging his head low as he ran his fingers through his hair nervously. "Your father came to me one day, and gave me two choices. I had to leave you and swear to sever all contact immediately. If I didn't, if I chose to stay with you, he would have me killed."

Lucy gasped. "Father threatened to..." It seemed ruining her wedding hadn't been enough for him.

"Lucy. You, of all people, must know your father was not one to give idle threats." Loke crossed the room to stand in front of her, taking her hands in his own. "You have to believe me when I say I would have never left you like that if I had any other choice. I just thought, if I left, I could find a way for us to be together again. A means for you to really escape the hold your father had on you and no matter his threats, I could protect you. When I found out your father had died, I celebrated that day. All I could think about was finding you again. These five years without you—they were the loneliest years of my life. I didn't want to spend another second apart, now that there wasn't anyone standing between us. I imagined I would come back, explain everything and then...if you could forgive me for hurting you...if there was a chance you still loved me…we could start again." His thumb brushed against her ring finger—feeling the absence of the the ring he placed there, the symbol of their love and their promise to spend forever together. "Unless I'm too late."

More tears slipped down Lucy's cheeks as she closed her eyes. For so long, she had been waiting for this moment—for Loke to return and explain everything. It made the ache in her heart dull. She finally knew the truth. It wasn't because he had stopped loving her, it was because of her father. Her gut twisted with disgust and anger. All her sorrows traced back to him.

 _But he's not here anymore._

Lucy opened her eyes, smiling up at Loke. The hope she had kept tucked away was starting to swell inside of her. There were so many questions she had for him. There was so many things she wanted to tell him. She entwined their fingers together. Urano Metria may be gone, but now, life had returned someone she thought she had lost forever back to her side.

The following weeks passed by in a blur. Lucy spent every second she could with Loke. They were nearly inseparable, filling each moment of the day with stories, catching each other up on the last five years.

She told him about starting her company and how Virgo was her first employee. It was painful to talk about Urano Metria and all her former employees, but she wanted Loke to know everything. She told him about meeting Gray and Levy when she first came to New York. How their friendships helped her overcome Loke's absence. The most difficult thing was telling Loke about Natsu. He had become such a huge part of her life, but she had trouble voicing what he was to her. When she called him her friend, it didn't quite fit. It didn't accurately describe Natsu the way the word did for Gray or Levy. Natsu was special to her in a way that was unlike anyone she had ever met.

Lucy had explained to Loke about their fake marriage and how her father had ruined even that happy memory. Loke had proposed to her again right then and there, wanting to marry her and start their lives together. However, Lucy needed some time to think. Five years was a long time to be apart, especially since she had spent that time thinking Loke had abandoned her. There was so much that each had missed in the other's lives. Despite trying to bridge the gap and filling the other in on all the missing years, neither of them had been there to experience anything first hand. Things were definitely different between them now. They were both different. Could they really do it? Could they pick up where they left off and start a life together despite the changes they both have gone through? She didn't know what the future held in store for them, or if there even was a future.

It wasn't that she didn't care about Loke. Lucy had thought about him every day since he left her all those years ago. When she thought Lyon was going to kill her, Lucy wrote him a letter in hope that, even though she had no idea where he was, or if he even still loved her, it would reach him and he would know, that even after everything, a part of her heart was still his. Lucy cursed her father once again. If it hadn't been for her father's interference, Loke would have never left. They would have been married and wouldn't have lost the past five years because of her father's meddling. However, her life would probably be drastically different too. Would she have ever started her company? Would she had met Virgo, Aries, or any of her other employees? Would she have even met the friends she had now? Gray and Levy and Natsu.

 _Natsu._ Her thoughts paused on his name. _I most likely would have never met him..._

Lucy dug through her ottoman in her bedroom, uncovering the small ring box she kept in the false bottom. The ring was simple, just a silver band with a small diamond fixed in the center. It had been four years since she had last worn it. Taking it from the soft velvet folds, she slipped the ring onto her finger.

Her father was dead and Loke was here, still in love with her, wanting the life they were robbed of. A life together. There were still things Lucy were unsure of about Loke and the five years he was away, but the love was still there. She had buried it deep inside of her heart, but it had never disappeared. They might have lost those five years, but they could spend the rest of their lives making up for it. Lucy removed the ring, letting it rest on the palm of her hand. There was no way of knowing how her life would have turned out if her father had never interfered. All Lucy had control over was how things would turn out now.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Hello Stars! I'm back from the dead.

Well, I assume most of you thought I died or something... I apologize for the long hiatus! I can't even begin to explain to you all the crazy things that filled my life and prevented me from writing. This chapter has certainly been a challenge to write. I debated with myself with rushing these events since you all have waited so long, but I couldn't do it. I had to rewrite the chapter 4 times, then edit, edit, edit, edit, edit and more edits. It finally feels right enough and I hope you all enjoy it.

Now, the most important thing. A HUGE shout out and thank you to the army of betas that helped shape this chapter. PerchanceADream, you were the first to answer the call and you always, always, always give me amazing edits and insight. Thank you! midsummerghostt, Nina of Fairy Tail, and pie480 you three jumped into the story and helped this chapter become what it it. I can't thank you three enough for providing your expertise and unique perspectives. I hope we can work together on more chapters in the future.

Thank you to Fairytailnumber1Anime for checking up on me and revitalizing my efforts to get this chapter out. I appreciated that so much.

If anyone wants to be a beta for me, please reach out to me with your interest. It doesn't just have to be for APYJCK. I understand that my betas have lives and can't always beta for me when I finish a chapter (finally), but it's nice to work with different people and see how the story can change with different insights. Anywho, just send me a dm. Also, I sometimes put updates on my TUMBLR page about my fics, so follow me starmini

Thank you for your patience with me. I just want to know I give all of you all the love in the world!


	26. Chapter 26

"Husband?" Natsu looked from Loke to Lucy, his brain trying to comprehend what he just heard. It had only been three months. There was no way that Lucy could have met this person and married him in that short amount of time. He knew Lucy. This Loke guy had to be forcing her to go along with this. "I don't know who the hell you are, but you're lying." He grabbed Loke's collar and shoved him against the wall once more. "I'll give you one more chance to tell me the truth willingly, before I beat it out of you. Who are you and what have you done to Lucy?"

"How many screws are loose in that head of yours? I haven't done anything to her," Loke glared back at Natsu as he gripped his wrists. "Lucy, run and call the cops."

"Natsu, please stop." He felt Lucy place her hand on his shoulder. Her touch instantly made his shoulders drop. Some of the tension in his body eased out of him, but Natsu didn't let go of his hold on Loke. "Just listen to me. I'll explain everything."

"It's alright, Lucy. I see what's going on here. I won't let anyone force you into a life you don't want." Natsu didn't take his gaze away from Loke, his grip tightening on his shirt collar.

"But Loke's not forcing me to do anything. Natsu, let him go." Lucy stepped around and stood by Loke's side. "Believe me, he's not an enemy." Her eyes found his and Natsu frowned when he saw Lucy's eyes were pleading for him to understand. Understand what though?

"He's not an enemy? Lucy, what are you saying?" His stomach was twisting in knots, making him feel sick. It was like his body already knew what his mind was trying not to comprehend. "This guy… you can't really be married to him?"

"I'm not married to Loke," Lucy started to say.

 _So this guy is lying! But why does Lucy_ _—_

"Yet." He heard her finish. It felt like someone had sucked all the air out of the room when Lucy placed her left hand on his and he saw the sparkling diamond on her finger. "Loke is my fiancé."

Natsu dropped his hands from Loke's collar and took a step back from them. It felt like someone was stabbing his guts with a hot iron poker, while slowly pricking his heart with thousands of ice picks. His stomach rolled as his mind replayed that word over and over again like a broken record. He searched Lucy's gaze, trying to find some secret message hidden in her eyes, telling him that this was all a ruse. Lucy opened her mouth, like she was going to say something more, but decided against it as she looked away from him.

 _F-fiancé?_ Natsu's mind stumbled over the word as he failed to make sense of everything. _Lucy and this guy?_ He eyed the man who was about the same height as Gray with hazel colored eyes and spiky orange hair, dressed in a white button up shirt and grey slacks. There were rings on each of his fingers, except his left ring finger. _She wants to marry him...no this can't be right...because...it's Lucy...she's...they're….fiancé...no...she couldn't want...there's something I'm missing. Think, Natsu! Think! Lucy said he's not forcing her but what if he is and she just doesn't realize it! That has to be it. Brainwashing._

The moment he thought the word the panic inside of him dissipated. Three months was plenty of time to brainwash someone, especially if the person doing the brainwashing was an expert. When Natsu left, he felt confident that he had trained Lucy well enough to withstand physical threats—although he wasn't comfortable with leaving her alone to defend herself at all. He never thought to teach her how to protect her mind.

Lucy was a CEO of a publishing company. Why would anyone want to brainwash her? The only answer he could come up with was to get at him. Gold Pistol had identified Lucy as his weakness and he had been right. For the first time, Natsu had a vulnerability. Just because Gold Pistol and even the Sub-Zero Emperor were out of the running, it didn't mean someone else in the Underworld hadn't been watching.

Air filled Natsu's lungs as he recovered from the shock, his heart thawing and his stomach settling. For a moment, he almost got sucked up into the lie.

 _Keep it together._

Natsu scolded himself as he narrowed his eyes, focusing on the threat before him. While he had been off doing a certain organization's bidding, an enemy had slithered in and taken full advantage of his absence. _This man_ _—_ _Loke_ _—_ _how is he connected to the mafia? What faction is he from?_ Natsu wanted nothing more than to knock this guy out and take Lucy far away from him, but he had to be careful. If he made a move against him now, there's no telling what subliminal triggers Loke had placed in her mind. One wrong move and Lucy's mental state could collapse. Natsu had to control himself and handle this situation delicately.

Loke straightened his rumbled shirt again, his glare shifting into a smug grin which flared Natsu's anger. The man draped an arm around Lucy in a possessive manner, pulling her close. "Now for the last time, tell me who the hell you are before I call the cops."

"Loke, there's no need for that." Lucy looked up at him. "Natsu is my friend. He's the one I told you about, remember?"

"Him?" Loke looked at Natsu shocked. "I thought you said he was an artist? I wasn't expecting him to be so…"

"Intimidating," Natsu offered, eyeing all the points of physical contact this man was making with Lucy.

"Beastly," Loke deadpanned.

"You're thinking about Gray. He's still in Italy with Juvia," Lucy clarified. "I met Natsu at Levy and Gajeel's wedding. Remember how I told you I had a bit of trouble this summer? Well, Natsu is the one who helped me through it."

"Oh, I see. So you're the one who helped Lucy when she got lost in Italy," Loke realized. Lucy gave Natsu a sheepish grin, and Natsu couldn't help but smirk. Even with the brainwashing, Lucy was hiding her experience with the Underworld. Which meant, there were holes in Loke's control, areas Natsu could slip in and collapse the narrative Loke had conjured up in Lucy's mind. But he couldn't do this alone. Natsu had been trained to overcome mental threats; however, he knew very little on how to deconstruct one in someone else. He needed help.

 **Ring. Ring**.

Loke pulled out a cellphone from his pocket and glanced at the number. Natsu caught the second his eyes darkened before he smiled down at Lucy. "It's work," Loke explained as he excused himself from the room, not before throwing a look in Natsu's direction which seemed to say: _Don't you dare do anything while I'm gone._

Natsu rolled his eyes as Loke left the room. If Lucy's mind wasn't at stake, he would have already done something. It wasn't the man's unvoiced threats that kept Natsu from acting on his first instinct.

"Natsu," Lucy spoke softly, her voice cutting into his thoughts of visualizing Loke as a punching bag. The next thing he knew, she was throwing herself into his arms, holding him tightly. "You kept your promise." Her voice shook with emotion as she held him even tighter.

"You know me," he said, returning her embrace. "I always keep my promises." Natsu felt her chuckle against him and the sound rang through him. _This_ was how Natsu had envisioned his reunion with Lucy.

She broke their embrace, suddenly. His smile flipped to a frown when he saw Lucy look over her shoulder in the direction Loke had gone as if she had just done something she should feel guilty of.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about any of this sooner. I had planned to tell you everything when you got back. I'll explain everything still. The truth about me. About my past. About Loke…I didn't expect—I never thought he would return though. And then with everything else…A lot has happened since you've been gone." Natsu noticed how she fidgeted with her engagement ring as she spoke. He wondered what kind of story Loke had created making Lucy believe it as the truth. There were so many questions he wanted to ask her, so many things he wanted to say, but all of them would have to wait until they were truly alone.

The quiet in the room filled the space between them. He took a step toward her, wanting to reach out and hold her once more. "Lucy—"

"Lucy," Loke called out at the same time, emerging from the other room. "Sorry dear, I have to go to work. Something came up that needs my attention." He snaked his hand around Lucy's waist, standing beside her once more.

"I hope it's nothing too serious," she frowned with concern.

"No, nothing serious at all. A particular client is wanting me to personally oversee her order. I'll be gone for a few hours, but…" he trailed off, his brow furrowing.

"What is it, Loke?"

"I don't feel comfortable leaving you here alone with him." His answer made Lucy laugh lightly, but the comment only made Natsu bristle with anger. The glare Loke was giving him just added more fuel.

"What the hell are you getting at?" Natsu asked between gritted teeth.

"Like I said, I don't feel comfortable leaving my _fiancée_ alone with you."

The word was like a punch in the gut for Natsu. It seemed Loke had picked up on his displeasure for the word and was using it like some sort of weapon against him. He fought back the grimace but narrowed his eyes at Loke.

"Don't be silly Loke," Lucy chided lightly.

"Am I? First, he breaks in here."

"I have a key," Natsu held it up, swirling it on his middle finger by the keychain he kept it on. Lucy gave him a disapproving look, but Natsu just shrugged.

"Wait, why does he have a key to your apartment? I don't even have a—nevermind that now." Loke's phone beeped, alerting him to several new text messages. He glanced down at them, before shoving the phone into his pocket. "The point is, Lucy, he's dangerous."

"She knows that already." Natsu closed the distance between him and Loke, glaring at the man who dared use such an underhanded method like brainwashing someone he held dear in order to get to him. "But only to people who give me a reason to be."

"You see," Lucy's voice cut through the tension. "There's nothing to worry about. I trust Natsu, so you should trust me when I say there's nothing to worry about. You do trust me, don't you?"

Loke sighed. "You know I do. It's just, with all that we've been through, I'm wary around new people."

 _With all that they've been through? How far does this facade go?_ Natsu thought.

"Well that's one thing you both have in common," Lucy laughed as she walked Loke to the door. "You two will be good friends in no time. I'm sure of it."

 _Doubt that_.

The two men looked at one another and their mutual glare indicated their thoughts echoed.

"Well I'll see you tonight then," Loke put on his coat and opened the door. He took a step outside before turning around and kissing Lucy. Natsu stood there, trying to comprehend the feeling he felt while watching the two embrace. It hurt in a way no physical wound had ever made him feel. He had to look away, but even that couldn't stop the pain.

"Bye, Loke," Lucy softly called after him.

Natsu looked back, the door shutting out Loke's smirking face. His fingers ached from balling them into fists. He needed to wake Lucy up from her brainwashing, and fast.

"Let's go sit in the living room. I'll make tea, and then," Lucy took a deep breath. "I'll tell you everything, Natsu."

* * *

The mugs of tea Lucy had prepared sat on the coffee table, cold and untouched. Natsu stared blankly into his mug, his mind going over everything Lucy had revealed to him. A false marriage. Her father's death. The loss of her company. All of it was just too staggering to imagine being true. He knew that brainwashing someone required using elements of the truth and spinning them to the brainwasher's advantage. With such an elaborate story, Natsu needed to figure out what was real and what was fiction before even attempting to dismantle everything.

Natsu had heard of Jude Diamant before. The shipping company he created was one of the largest and most profitable in the world. It easily made him a billionaire, but his fortune also came from other lucrative endeavors. Lucy didn't elaborate on her father's death or how she felt that he was gone. From the synopsis of her childhood, he got the picture that her father wasn't a warm and doting parent. She spoke like she was just repeating facts when she mentioned him.

Natsu didn't really keep up with the news. His focus was directed to the things that were kept out of the spotlight. He kept tabs on certain figures, but Jude Diamant never seemed more to him than a shrewd businessman. Was Lucy really his daughter? She wouldn't have been able to lead such a quiet life as this if that was the case. But what if her father had hid her away for that reason, to allow Lucy to live a life away from the public eye? Or was she really Jude Diamant's daughter and someone discovered this and is now after Lucy for her fortune? Or was it a ruse to throw Natsu off and they were really after him? There were too many questions and not enough answers.

The real puzzling part was the connection Loke had with Lucy's past. Some of the details actually seemed viable. This troubled Natsu. If even he was questioning himself, then it was going to be more difficult than he thought to break this brainwashing. Had this Loke guy been planning this longer than three months? If so, then how did the man know that Lucy and Natsu would ever meet or what Lucy would grow to mean to him? There was no way any person could have guessed that. Natsu was shocked himself when he realized how quickly Lucy became such an important person to him. He kept his distance from people for a reason. Was this really the work of the mafia?

And then there was the matter of Lucy losing her company, Urano Metria. Isolating Lucy from her company would definitely put her in a vulnerable position. Natsu knew how much Lucy's company meant to her and having it stolen from her would create an opportunity for someone like Loke to slip in and take advantage of that. It killed Natsu hearing Lucy describe the downfall of her company. She kept getting choked up and had to pause several times in order to collect herself. The fact that Lucy had to go through something like that and he hadn't been here to help her, ate at him. But he was here now.

"So that's everything. About me and my past and all that's happened while you were away." Lucy hugged the pillow she had been holding tighter. "I'm sure you have questions, and I'll answer anything truthfully."

"Just one." He looked at her seriously.

"One?" Natsu heard the surprise in her voice and he held back a smirk. "I was expecting more. Levy had hundreds it seemed."

 _Just like I thought. I have to talk to Levy soon._

Natsu stood and turned to Lucy. She looked fine, despite everything she's been through. Her hair was a little longer and there was still a sadness to her eyes. He sighed, shaking his head.

"What is it?" Lucy squirmed a bit, looking up at him anxiously. "I understand if you're angry or if—"

"Are you hungry?"

"Huh?"

"I'm starving. I haven't had a decent meal in months it seems. Let's go to Etherion and order one of everything."

"Wait, that's it?"

"You're right. Make it two orders."

"But Natsu," Lucy shook her head, confused. "After everything I've told you, you have nothing to ask me? Nothing to say?"

"Whatever secrets you have, whoever you were in the past. It doesn't change anything for me."

Tears welled up in Lucy's eyes, but she smiled brightly at him. "Nat...su."

There were so many things running through Natsu's head, so many uncertainties and questions he didn't have the answers to, but no matter what, there's one thing that would never change for him. He shrugged.

"To me, Lucy is Lucy. Always."

Lucy reached out and took his hand, squeezing it lightly. "You always know just what to say," she said quietly before letting his hand go. She stood up and headed to her bedroom. "I just need a few minutes to freshen up. Then we'll get two of everything," Lucy called over her shoulder before closing her bedroom door behind her.

Natsu didn't waste a second. He slipped into the second bedroom, the room he had been using before he left, and went to the second bookshelf. He scanned the shelves until he found what he was looking for. He plucked the book from the spot, rearranging the other books so the gap wasn't noticeable. Natsu returned to the living room and stuffed the book into his black duffle bag, just as Lucy came out of her room.

"Ready to go?" Lucy asked. Natsu grabbed his bag and nodded.

"Yeah, let's go."

* * *

"Oh wait," Lucy paused, halfway out of the car. They had just finished lunch and Natsu was dropping her off at her apartment. He didn't want to say goodbye, especially since he knew that Loke guy would be returning later, but there were things he needed to do. Natsu watched as she rummaged through her purse before pulling out a small envelope. "I know it's last minute, but I didn't have an address to mail this to you and I didn't know if you would even be back in time or if you would even want to come."

"What is it?" Natsu looked at the envelope, not liking it all.

"It's an invitation to the engagement party tomorrow night."

"Oh." The food is in his stomach turned sour as he took the envelope from her. They had managed to get through lunch without talking about Loke or the fact that Lucy was getting married. The pair had reverted to the time before he had left. Lucy told him how she still kept up with her training, even finding a new person at the gym to spar with. Supposedly, the new partner even taught her a few new moves. Natsu, normally against training Lucy, was eager to start her training sessions again. It was an excuse to be alone with Lucy and also, to figure out more about the complexities of her brainwashing. It was time he needed to work out how best to help her. After such a pleasant lunch, Natsu almost forgot that anything was amiss at all. Now, reality came rushing back to him.

"I know you just got back and the last thing you want to do is go to—"

"I'll be there." Natsu looked at the invitation and then at Lucy. "I promise."

Lucy smiled and exited the car. Before Richard could close the door, she turned around. "I'll see you tomorrow then." She hesitated for a moment, a silent struggle going on her mind before she continued. "I really am glad you're back Natsu. I missed you." Natsu didn't have time to respond. Lucy was already bounding up the stairs to her building in a hurry to escape the cold, so he just watched her go.

He opened the envelope when she was out of sight, feeling nauseous. _Introducing the Future Mr. and Mrs. Loke Regulus…_ The invitation held the details of the engagement party but included a picture of Loke and Lucy together. His heart did a painful lurch to the back of his ribcage and Natsu had to look away.

"Where to, sir?" Richard asked when he returned to the driver's seat.

"We're going to see _him_."

* * *

"Welcome to Cat's Cradle! My name is Boots and I'll be your Purrista this afternoon. How may I help you have the purrrrfect day?"

Natsu blinked at the man in front of him, eyeing the cat ears and cat mittens he wore. After a quick stop at his apartment, Natsu had his driver drop him off at a cat cafe located in Greenwich Village. Cats roamed the cafe, curled themselves up on customers laps and on the tops of tables, sunbathed in the front store windows, and raced one another around the room.

The white and blue walls of the cafe were decorated with pictures of cats and the menu located above the counter were filled with cat puns like 'catpuccino' and 'Get your pawfee from the purrista.' Natsu liked cats, but this was a little much. He groaned inwardly as he slid a gold coin across the counter.

"I'll have the white cat special."

"Purrrfect selection," Boots beamed.

Boots continued to smile as he took the coin and reached under the counter, pressing the button Natsu knew was located there. A moment later, a muscular man, also wearing cat ears, came around the corner. He crossed his arms and looked Natsu up and down, no doubt assessing him for any threats. The man jerked his head for Natsu to follow him. They stopped in front of a section of the wall that was covered in cat pictures. The muscular man pressed one and the wall opened up, revealing steps that descended into a lower level. Before Natsu could venture further, the man put a giant hand on his shoulder, halting him. Natsu gave the man a sharp look, but he just handed him a pair of blue cat ears.

"I'm good," Natsu shook off the man's hand and once again made for the stairs, but the man stopped him again.

"House rules," the man's gruff voice demanded.

There were many reasons why Natsu hated coming here, but he was in a bind. He needed information and fast. This wasn't time to be making things even more difficult than they need be. Natsu eyed the cat ears before snatching them out the man's hand. Shoving them on his head, Natsu made his way down the stairs, muttering curses on every step.

The Cat's Cradle was a cafe, but its true function was to act as a front for a far darker operation that ran beneath it: The Blue Rabbit. This was a den for those who operated in the Underworld to come and meet on neutral ground. Neutral ground in the Underworld meant all grudges and wars were immediately dissolved upon entry. No one was allowed to spill blood. Breaking this cardinal rule was akin to a death sentence for anyone foolish enough to do so. A lot of Natsu's customers chose neutral grounds within the Underworld like this one to exchange the items they had requested of him with his payment. The rule created a wonderland for wolves and other unseelie individuals to lounge about and do business without the fear of death—a rare luxury in this world.

The Blue Rabbit was a darkened lounge, lit up with dark blue accent lights that bled over the white leather sofas and sheer drapes that made up most of the room. A bar took up half of one wall, where cat eared bartenders mixed drinks for the wolves who mingled there. A stage had been constructed at the far end of the room, where another employee played smooth jazz songs. The air grew tense the moment Natsu descended the stairs. Eyes around the room tracked his movements as Natsu made his way to the bar. A quick scan showed that there wasn't anyone noteworthy among the other cat ear wearing visitors today, so Natsu ignored them.

"Whiskey, straight," he ordered, taking a seat at the bar. It was the middle of the day and he rarely drank, but after the shock of information he had received upon his return, Natsu needed something dark and strong to burn the sickness from his throat.

The bartender delivered his drink and Natsu tossed it back. The whiskey seared his throat and he reveled in the way it felt going down. It calmed down his stomach that still persisted in twisting itself in a knot. He tapped two fingers on the counter and the bartender poured him another. He tossed the second one back too.

"Meeeeeeennnooowww," a voice called behind him. "Look what the cat dragged in straight from the depths of hell itself."

Natsu contemplated ordering a third drink, but he couldn't get carried away. He needed to focus. Turning around, Natsu leaned back on the stool, his arms and back resting on the counter behind him.

"Nichiya," he greeted the man in front of him with a glare.

Nichiya was the owner of the Cat's Cradle and the one behind the operations of the Blue Rabbit. He was the younger brother of Ichiya, deciding to follow his older brother into the thrills of the Underworld. The physical similarities between the two brothers were uncanny. They could have been twins, except Nichiya's taste in fashion was even more eccentric than his brother's. He wore yellow cat ears, a bright purple suit, and gold glitter nail polish on his nails, which were all filed to an extreme point. Another point of difference between the brothers was their choice of occupation. Where Ichiya gathered and bottled information to sell within the Underworld, Nichiya furthered that by also selling more tangible assets. He still possessed skills in gathering information, but lacked the finesse his older brother possessed in that department.

"Oh, I do love how you say my name, Salamander." Nichiya wiggled his short body as he hugged himself. "Especially while wearing such cute accessories."

"I should have known you would come up with some crazy shit like this." Natsu flicked his cats ears in disgust.

"You don't like the new house rules? Mennnnowwww. I think it makes these wolves look like cute pups."

"House rules my ass," he scoffed. "We both know you're just exploiting your power."

"I would never," Nichiya gave Natsu a knowing grin. "Come. Let's talk elsewhere and then you can tell me what brings such an impressive figure like yourself to my wonderland."

Nichiya led Natsu away from the lingering eyes and tilted ears to a private room in the back. The room was large, but the moment Natsu walked through the door, he felt the walls were closing in on him. Everywhere he looked, there was nothing but Hello Kitty. Nichiya had an obsession for the mascot that went beyond anything Natsu had ever seen. He had been in this room before on a few other occasions and it seemed the collection had grown significantly since then. It was borderline insanity.

Taking a seat on the white couch, Nichiya patted a spot next to him for Natsu to follow. Sighing inwardly, Natsu sat down, trying not to pay attention to the plushed pillows that all bore Hello Kitty's face.

"I know you haven't come here just to see my lovely face," Nichiya crossed his ankles and rested his entwined fingers on his knee. "What services will you be requiring from me? It's always delightful fulfilling your particular fancies."

Reaching into his jacket pocket, Natsu handed over the engagement invitation with the photo of Lucy and Loke. "I need everything you have on the guy pictured there. Fast. He goes by the name of Loke Regulus, but I'm sure that's an alias. I want a tracker put on him. I need to know everything he does, who he sees, and what they talk about. I know his front is a jewelry designer," a fact Lucy had mentioned on their way to Etherion, "but I'm not buying that. I need proof of his connection to the Underworld and who his Boss is. I'll also need to know their dealings with you and other—"

"Oh, meeennnoooww." Nichiya pawed the photo, his eyes roaming over the image and taking everything in. "Quite a request coming from you Salamander. Are you sure you don't want to know what new toys are coming on the market? There's a particular toy I think—"

"No," Natsu cut him off, already tired with dealing with this man. "This is a rush order. Use whatever method you have to, but I want to know everything about this person within the next 24 hours."

Nichiya eyed Natsu suspiciously. "You're asking for a lot of confidential information, Salamander. Meennnoow. I have my reputation to consider." He looked at his nails, inspecting the points. "My brother would be better off handling this request. Although, you and I both know that Ichiya won't give up certain information even for you. It goes against the very few rules we dealers have."

"I know all of that. Ichiya has lines even _he_ won't cross, but you on the other hand," Natsu's eyes gleamed with approval. "You like to bend whatever moral compass you think you possess in this world. I don't need Ichiya's flowers, I need your alley cats."

He could see his words sparked an interest within Nichiya. There was nothing more exciting to Nichiya than being able to do something his older brother couldn't. However, there was still hesitation in the man's gaze. Before the man could think of a reason to turn down Natsu's request, Natsu played his ace.

"I think this would be more convincing." Natsu placed the small figurine he had collected from his apartment earlier on the small coffee table. It was a Hello Kitty figurine made entirely of precious gems. There were only a few made in order to celebrate the mascot's 25th anniversary. However, what made this particular figurine different than the other's was the color of the bow. All of the anniversary figures had pink bows formed from pink diamonds. The one Natsu presented, sported a blue bow made of sapphires and blue diamonds. It was one of a kind.

"Is that…" Nichiya sucked in a breath, his eyes seemed to bulge out of their sockets. He reached for it, but Natsu snatched it from the table before he could grab it. "Meeeennnnnnoooooww! I'll do the job!"

"I see," Natsu tossed the figurine between his hands. Nichiya tracked it with his eyes. "There's more to the request though."

"Meennnow. Meeennnow. Meeennnoow! Whatever you want, I'll do it Salamander."

Natsu looked at the picture Nichiya clutched in his hands, seeing Lucy and Loke smiling at one another. "The girl," he said slowly, hating what he was about to say. "I need you to find everything you can on her and have one of your cats track her as well."

* * *

It was late when Natsu finally entered his darkened apartment. He didn't bother turning on the lights as he made his way to his bedroom, shrugging off his jacket and tossing it over the couch as he went. Natsu collapsed on his bed, feeling exhausted. How did everything turn out like this? Lucy was in danger again because of him. He had broken his promise to her and she didn't even know it. His phone peeped and Natsu retrieved it from his pocket.

It was an update from one of Nichiya's alley cats. He had been receiving them after he had left The Blue Rabbit. Opening the text, Natsu read the message.

 **Both birds asleep. Same location.**

Natsu had to restrain himself from breaking his phone. He had asked for this, but it still hurt to know Lucy was currently asleep in the arms of an enemy. He shoved his phone back in his pocket and reached for the book on his nightstand. It was the book he had taken—borrowed from Lucy's place earlier.

"Hide the Stars," Natsu read the titled aloud. There was something about this book that had seemed odd when Lucy had first showed it to him. He had remembered it after Lucy had revealed her past to him. He didn't know what was truth and what wasn't, but he felt this book could help sort things out—at least until Nichiya's cats delivered what he needed. Flipping to the first page, Natsu tried to silence his mind and let Lucy's words fill the quiet,

 _An unloved girl fell in love one night and that was when the stars returned..._

* * *

 **A/N:**  
Hello stars!  
Back at it again with new chapter!  
Thank you for your patience!  
I need to thank the small army of betas who helped with this chapter. Thank you x infinity to Promiselight, Opacity, Nina of FairyTail (thanks for the help with the cat puns) and PerchanceADream.  
I hope you enjoy this next chapter in APYJCK. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, as heartbreaking as some points were. Remember, I did promise you a rollercoaster ride of emotions for Part II. This is just the beginning, so if you can handle it, stick around for the ride. You'll enjoy it in the end. ;D  
Please, let me know your thoughts on this chapter and the overall story. If you have any guesses what I'm planning, that would be cool to see. Who knows, you might even guess something right. haha  
I can't promise you I'll get another chapter out before the end of this month...I have people coming to visit and my birthday will be in two weeks, so July is busy for me. Just know, I WON'T drop this story. I've spent too much time on it not to finish it. I love you all for being patient with me and still supporting APYJCK! MUCH LOVE!


	27. Chapter 27

"Natsu is back."

The words drifted from Lucy's mouth, settling into the darkness around her. Lucy laid awake, staring at her ceiling but not seeing it. Instead, she replayed today's events in her mind, going over every detail again. She skipped over everything that happened throughout her morning, racing through the moments like she was fast forwarding a video. She slammed the mental pause button on her memories when she got to the part she wanted to remember and watched the moment when Natsu reappeared back into her life.

It all happened so suddenly. One moment, Natsu was still gone, away on a dangerous adventure where she couldn't see him or even know if he was okay. Another moment later and there he was, standing in her living room, exploding back into her life like he had never left.

Her back had been to him, but she knew it was Natsu the second he had touched her. She felt his hand on her arm, grabbing her gently but firmly as he pulled her away from Loke. The training she'd been given by Natsu kicked in, but Lucy stopped herself from reacting.

 _Natsu._

His name was the first thought to pop into Lucy's head and it made her heart leap inside of her. She wanted to hug him, to hold him so she knew that he was really here and he was okay. She had kept Natsu at the edge of her thoughts, trying not to worry about him because worrying wouldn't bring him back any sooner. However, at night, she had dreamt of this moment. Of Natsu returning and—

"Natsu, stop!" She had yelled, grabbing hold of his elbow to stop the punch he was about to throw. Lucy had forgotten about Loke. All her senses had been focused on Natsu—there hadn't been room for anything else. Anyone else.

"Don't worry, Lucy," she heard him say, and just him saying her name made her heart flip. "I won't let him hurt you."

"No," she pleaded with him. "Don't hurt him."

Things were getting out of hand. She needed Natsu to understand. But how could he? She had kept everything hidden from him—from everyone. The past Lucy had kept silent about, it was standing right in front of Natsu.

Natsu turned to her, she could see the confusion etched on his face. She looked at him sadly. It was time for Natsu to know the truth.

"Lucy," he finally lowered his fist. "Who is he?"

"He's…" Lucy had to look away. This was the moment where she told the truth. The moment where she said goodbye. "Loke is…"

Lucy stopped the memory there. She couldn't do it. She couldn't see the look on Natsu's face again. This wasn't how she wanted to tell him.

Two months ago, Lucy had made a choice. She chose to pick things up with Loke, because it was the right thing to do. It wasn't Loke's fault they weren't together. It was all due to her father's manipulation. Why should she punish Loke for her father's faults? Loke had always been there for her and still would have been if his life wasn't at risk. All those years, Loke had endured the separation. He hadn't given up on the hope they could be together, working to become someone her father would approve of. Now that her father was no longer in the way, there wasn't a reason why they shouldn't be together.

When she thought she was going to die in Italy, she had written to Loke. Forgiven him for what she thought he did and found she still loved him, despite all the hurt she had felt. It was time to put that in the past and move on with the second chance they had been given. A chance to live a life together that had been robbed from them.

That's what Lucy believed. That's what she told herself. That she was doing the right thing. Setting things back to how they were supposed to be. So why, then, did her heart react differently when Natsu returned?

Lucy rolled onto her side, her hand reaching out to the empty spot in her bed—the side Natsu slept on. Even though Loke had returned and she had decided to resume their relationship, Lucy wanted to take things slow. They were engaged, but there wouldn't be a wedding for some time. Leaving the past behind was easier said than done. It was hard to untangle the threads of betrayal she had lived with for five years. Loke and her had become different people in the five years they were apart. She wanted them to get to know one another again first.

Loke had his own place in the city, but occasionally he would stay over in her guest room. He was there tonight, acting a little on edge after Natsu had showed up. She couldn't blame him. Natsu knew how to make an impression on people. Although, not always the best.

She chuckled into her pillow remembering when Natsu and her first met. How mad he had made her when he bought the the Iron Maidens before her. The shock she had felt when she saw him at Levy's wedding, standing at the altar as Gajeel's best man. The excitement she felt going on an adventure—an adventure that quickly turned into hell. But Natsu had protected her through it all and kept his promise to save Gray. Even after she was safe, he had stayed by her side and taught her the skills to protect herself. He was always teasing her and always making her laugh. Natsu had become a huge part of her life in such a short amount of time. When he left, only then did Lucy feel how significant he was. But, when she chose Loke, she chose to ignore what that meant.

 _Natsu..._

Lucy didn't know how he felt, if he even felt anything toward her at all. She didn't want to burden him with feelings she didn't quite understand. Besides, if she had been with Loke all this time, she never would have met Natsu. She never would have felt this way. So she had to put things back to the way things were supposed to be. That meant putting aside her feelings for Natsu, whatever they may be. When she was with Natsu, she would force herself to feel only what she felt toward Gray. They would be friends and over time, Lucy felt she could convince her heart to believe that.

* * *

The engagement party was located in the ballroom of a luxury hotel downtown. The room was open and opulent. The outer wall was made entirely of framed glass panels that matched the French doors leading out to the terrace. The sparkling view of the city spilled into the room, making it appear as if the city of New York was part of the decor. Round tables were scattered throughout and covered in white silk tablecloths. Chandeliers glistened above the crowded room where people sipped drinks from the open bar, all dressed in their winter night finery.

"I was afraid after Urano Metria folded, Lucy wouldn't be able to bounce back for awhile. She made sure all of us were taken care of, but didn't even take a moment for herself. Seeing her now, I'm so glad she's found someone like him."

"I was shocked to hear about the engagement, but after talking with Loke myself, I can see why she's so eager to marry him. I almost proposed to him."

"Lucy looks so happy. I can't wait to see how she looks on the wedding day!"

"It's too bad Aries isn't here, she was looking forward to the party. That poor dear's heart. We'll have to tell her all about it later."

It was an hour into the party when Natsu arrived, dressed in a more formal version of his usual black attire, wearing a fitted dress shirt and pants, and a black sports jacket. The room was full of people all laughing and mingling together. He caught snippets of conversations, everyone gushing about how happy the couple looked or how excited they were for the wedding, even though a date hadn't been set yet. It all made Natsu sick.

Natsu had spent most of the night and majority of the day reading Lucy's book, _Hide the Stars_. The first time Lucy had showed it to him, he had felt there was something more to the book than Lucy was telling him. He thought reading it would give him the insight he needed about Lucy's past, but it had made everything more muddled.

The book focused on a girl who was kept in complete isolation from the outside world. She longed to see the world beyond her island home and go on adventures like the ones in her books. However, her tyrant of a father would not allow it. The girl believed she would spend the rest of her days, dreaming of a life she would never get to live. Until, one day a boy washed up on the island. Visitors from the island were strictly prohibited. Only specialized personnel were allowed to work there. However, the boy was badly injured and couldn't be moved without fear of death. The girl persuaded the workers to save him. Everyone on the island loved the girl and did as she asked, even though it meant disobeying her father. In secret, the girl nursed the boy back to life, and with every day she spent with him, a love between them grew.

The rest of the book focused on things Natsu already knew. How the boy and the girl ran away, had a secret wedding, and lived together for a time, before the boy suddenly left one day without a word. It matched the story Lucy had told him perfectly. It made Natsu uneasy.

Looking around the room, his eyes instantly fell upon Lucy who was standing in the center of the room. A smile tugged at his lips the moment he saw her, especially since she was wearing the dress he had bought her for her birthday. They were supposed to resume their training sessions today, but Lucy had called him to cancel. Apparently, Loke had planned a surprise outing for her. Natsu was sure that this _surprise_ was the result of Loke finding out Lucy was going to spend her afternoon with him.

Even as he reassured Lucy on the phone that they could reschedule the training, Natsu realized how difficult it was going to be to maneuver around Loke's hold on her. Thankfully, Nichiya's alley cat had contacted him earlier and set a time and place for the information drop. Checking his watch, Natsu had half an hour to kill before making his way to the rooftop where he would receive the information he needed to burn out this wolf. Natsu started walking toward Lucy, weaving his way through the crowd.

A hand gripped his shoulder, and Natsu's reflexes kicked in. He spun around fast, his body shifting into an attack position but he stopped himself.

"Woah," Loke put his hands up in front of him. "Didn't mean to spook you, uh...Natsu, was it?"

 _Loke._ Natsu slowly relaxed his stance. He was too much on edge, especially since he had just come off a mission from the organization. Unfortunately, it wasn't the time nor the place to kick his ass. Yet.

"Yeah, it's Natsu. And you're...Locus right?"

The smile on Loke's face didn't fade, but it became tight. "It's Loke, actually."

"Ah, isn't that what I said?" Natsu tilted his head.

"Right," Loke laughed dryly. "I'm glad I caught you. We didn't really meet under the best of circumstances yesterday. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind stepping out for a moment with me so we could talk for a few minutes. Maybe clear the air and start over. You're a dear friend of Lucy's and I want both of us to be on the same page with one another."

Natsu hid his surprise. "Where did you have in mind?"

"The terrace. It's too cold out for anyone, but it will give us the privacy we need. It won't take too long so you won't need your coat."

Natsu flicked his eyes to the glass doors leading out onto the terrace. He checked his watch. He still had time before he had to be on the rooftop. Might as well entertain the Loke bastard.

The cold wind blew hard, zapping away any warmth that clung to Natsu the moment he stepped outside. He shoved his hands in his pockets—the only hint that he was cold—and leaned against the stonewall of the terrace. He kept his back to the city, making sure Lucy was within his line of sight through the paned window doors. It was a bold move, given the openness of the terrace. He was easy picking for a sniper, but Natsu didn't believe Loke wanted to kill him. Why concoct an elaborate brainwashing to earn Lucy's trust and hold her as leverage over him only to attempt to kill Natsu on a balcony? It didn't make any sense. No, something bigger was going on here.

Loke faced him, rubbing his arms with his hands to bring some warmth back into them. "Maybe I shouldn't have tried to act so cool when I suggested we come out here without any coats. It's freezing." Loke shoved his hands under his armpits and paced back and forth. "I'll make this quick so we both don't turn into ice sculptures out here."

"You can drop the act. No one is out here."

Loke blinked at him. "I guess you know why I brought you out here then?"

Natsu scoffed. "You'll save yourself a lot of pain if you just tell me what you're after now. Not many people in the Underworld are stupid enough to confront me like this. So, who is your Boss, wolf? What do you want with me?"

Loke looked at him confused, shaking his head in disbelief. "Don't take this the wrong way, but are you drunk? I have no idea what you're talking about. I brought you out here to discuss your feelings for Lucy."

"My what?" Natsu flicked his eyes to Lucy and back to Loke. "I said quit with this act."

"Look, I get it." Loke sighed. "Lucy, she's—well there's hardly any words to describe her. It's hard _not_ to fall in love with her. When I first met her, I was instantly swept away by her. There's something about her that just draws you in. Although the first encounter between you and I wasn't pleasant, it was informative. I could see how much you care for Lucy."

 _Why is he talking about this?_ Natsu thought, scowling. The guy was right, Natsu _did_ care for Lucy. Why wouldn't he? There was something about her that made him want to be around her. The past three months he had to stay away were brutal. However, his feelings for Lucy, were none of Loke's concern and had nothing to do with what was going on now.

"I know it must have been quite a shock coming back here and discovering the engagement," Loke continued. "I see that you and Lucy have gotten….close to one another. I appreciate that you were there for her when I couldn't be. But look, I'm just going to be frank," Loke frowned. "I don't like it. And to be honest, I don't like you. You're dangerous. I brought you out here to ask you to back off. To make yourself scarce in her life. Lucy said you're a treasure hunter right? Well, I'll be able to pay you if—"

"I said enough with this act, damn it!" Natsu punched the terrace wall, hard enough to leave tiny fractures in the stone. His anger was straining inside of him to take Loke and hold him over the edge and force the answers out of him. He had no patience for these games, especially since Lucy was involved. "Here's how the next 24 hours are going to play out," Natsu spoke through gritted teeth, barely retaining his composure. "You're going to reverse the brainwashing you did on Lucy—"

"Brainwashing?"

"— and end this charade of an engagement. You'll be the one to disappear out of her life and make it as if you were never there. I won't let her be controlled by the Underworld again. If you do all that, I'll make sure you're still alive after tomorrow. If you don't, I'll kill you like the lowly dog you are."

"You're threatening to kill me?"

"This is my one and only warning to you."

Loke slid his hands in his pockets and stared at Natsu, something shifted in his eyes. The dark look he had seen the other day now held in his features.

"You're warning me?" Loke chuckled darkly. "I see."

"You don't want to go up against me. You'll—"

"Regret it?" Loke interrupted. "Doubt that. I'm used to going against people like you."

"I promise, you haven't met someone like me before."

Loke shrugged before shaking his head. "You're the type that uses their power and influence to control the lives of others. You intimidate people in order to get what you want. You want me to fear you, but that's not going to happen."

"Are you confident about that?" Natsu pushed off the terrace wall and took a step toward him. He wasn't planning on kicking his ass tonight, but if Loke wanted to see why he should fear him, then he'll give him a proper demonstration.

"Lucy," Loke started. Natsu couldn't stand hearing her name spoken by him. "Right now, she thinks of you as a dear friend. She smiles at you. Cares about you. You've become important to her." He could hear the irritation in Loke's voice. "But I'm back now and that chapter is at an end. Lucy is going to be _my_ wife. Whatever little fantasy you were writing out in your head is over.

"You gave me a warning and now here's one in turn for you," Loke moved to stand beside Natsu, facing the city while Natsu looked back at the party. "It's time for you to leave. I'm giving you a chance to willingly walk out of her life while she can still smile at you. If you don't, _you'll_ be the one to regret it."

If Loke was here on behalf of some Underworld Boss to intimidate him, why did he want Natsu out of the picture? What was Loke planning? He dug his nails into the palms of his hands. He was shaking with anger. It was thrashing inside of him to show Loke just how he handled threats, especially ones that threatened to take away someone precious to him.

"I've dealt with people who are more intimidating than you. So leave now, Natsu. Or lose Lucy in a way you never thought possible."

"Bastard!" Natsu whirled around. "Don't think—"

"Loke? What are you—and Natsu, you're here! I didn't even see you come in." Lucy's voice called out. "But what are you two doing out here? It's freezing."

"Just having a little heart to heart, love." Loke brushed past Natsu, but Natsu couldn't turn around just yet. He was so angry, he didn't trust the murder in his eyes not to show. He gripped the stone wall with both hands, trying to breathe in the cold air to cool down the roar he heard in his ears. It was taking everything in him not to kill Loke right now. How dare he even threaten his relationship with Lucy? Just the thought of never seeing her smiling face again made his heart squeeze painfully. To have someone threaten to take that away from him, death seemed like only too easy a punishment.

"Natsu?" Lucy called his name and he relaxed a little. He turned around and saw Loke with his arm snaked around her waist. In order to suppress his anger some more, Natsu visualized breaking every bone in Loke's arm. The thought barely relaxed him.

"Yeah, we just had a little heart to heart, that's all. But let's go back inside. Someone might catch their death." Natsu stared straight at Loke, making sure to tell him with his eyes that their conversation wasn't over, that he wasn't backing down from some half-assed threat, and that he wouldn't forget any of this.

"Oh, Natsu I—"

"Shall we dance, love? We haven't had a moment all evening." Loke steered Lucy back in doors, back into the illusion he had created before she could speak with Natsu.

Natsu bit the inside of his cheek, hard enough to taste blood in his mouth as he returned to the party. A waiter passed by with a tray full of champagne. He grabbed one and tipped it back, setting the empty glass back on the tray. The anger inside of him stirred, but he just clenched his fists. Soon, once Lucy was out of danger, Natsu would show that wolf the consequences of preying on someone he treasured. And he was going to enjoy every moment of it.

Collecting his coat, Natsu discreetly made his way to the elevator, taking it to the top floor. The elevator didn't go all the way to the rooftop, so he had to walk up a flight of steps to the door that would lead him outside, back into the cold December air. Normally not a fan of the cold, Natsu happily marched back into it. A few minutes separated him from being able to launch his counterattack on Loke and rescue Lucy from the nightmare she didn't even know she was living. He would save her from the jaws of the Underworld again and burn everyone who had a hand in putting her there.

The rooftop was empty. A closed up bar and a dead garden were the only indications that the rooftop was used. In the summer months, the rooftops of New York played hosts to wild parties with the sparkling city lights as the perfect backdrop. Hardly anyone wanted to spend time out in the chilly December air if they could help it. This was the perfect place to meet Nichiya's alley cat and retrieve the information Natsu had paid quite a great deal for. The cost didn't matter to him. Protecting Lucy was all that mattered.

Natsu was right on time for the scheduled meeting. He walked to the center of the rooftop and looked around and checked his watch to make sure he wasn't late. The alley cats did not like to wait on anyone. He heard the door to the rooftop open and he turned around, expecting the alley cat but instead—

"Levy?" He called out to the tiny figure making her way to him. Natsu looked around frantically. _Shit._

If the alley cat appeared now and saw Levy, who knew how the person would react. The alley cats liked their privacy. It allowed them to do what they did in the Underworld—collect items and information undetected. Only a few people actually knew who they were. Natsu had never met one in person before, but for the price he paid, he was granted an audience. Levy, being an outsider, would have to be eliminated. The alley cats took no chances when it came to protecting their secrets.

"I thought I saw you come out here," Levy started walking toward him. "What's with you?" she frowned. "Lucy told me you were back in the city, but you didn't even say hi and now you're on the rooftop while everyone is at the party."

"Levy, actually, now isn't a good time."

"I know this all shocking for you. I was surprised when Lucy told me about Loke too. I can only imagine how you must be feeling though, because I thought, you and Lucy would—"

"Levy, you need to leave!" Natsu didn't have time to be tactful. He needed to get her off the rooftop or things could get serious. He couldn't afford to have anything or anyone interfering in his plans to save Lucy. Even if it meant hurting Levy. Once it was all over he would explain, not everything of course, but right now, time was of the essence. "Stick your nose in a book, but not my business."

Levy looked down and hugged her coat tighter around her, but not before Natsu saw the hurt in her eyes. It pained him. Levy had easily become family to him. Why was everything getting so muddled?

"Are you afraid I might discover the secrets you're trying so desperately to keep from everyone?" Levy's voice turned colder, she looked up and it was like looking at a completely different person. There wasn't any warmth in her brown eyes.

"Levy?" Natsu was so startled by the change, he took a step back.

Levy sighed, looking at him like she was bored. "You know, it's not hard to figure out. I know there's more to you than meets the eye, Natsu. I know you're someone with secrets—dangerous secrets you can't afford to let anyone know."

He tensed. _What does she know?_ She was right. Natsu did have secrets, but he wanted them to remain secrets.

"Because of those secrets, you always kept people away. Your visits used to be brief and whatever you told us was always constructed—crafted like a magician would an illusion." She gestured with her hand, swishing it like a wand. "You made sure no one was ever too close to you, that no one ever knew too much."

"What are you getting at Levy?" He tried to keep his voice light, but his words came out harsher than he meant them to. And where was Nichiya's alley cat? It was already five minutes passed the drop off time.

"I guess I should spell it out for you then." Levy reached into her coat and pulled out a phone, tossing it to him with a flick of her wrist. Looking at the screen, Natsu saw a file labeled 'Read Me Natsu.' Hesitantly, he opened it and nearly dropped his phone from shock. The information inside, no one was supposed to have access to it.

"How? How could you possibly have this information?" He stared at her, wide-eyed and completely in shock.

"I cracked the firewall of a certain organization that's keeping it safe for you." Levy spoke as if what she did was child's play. He could hear the smugness in her voice. She wasn't even trying to hide it. What Levy did was impossible.

There was no way Levy could know about the organization to begin with. It didn't operate under any government body and was completely autonomous. The organization was off everyone's books, most governments didn't even know it existed. There were only a small number of people operating in the world that knew it was real. It was mostly a myth unless some sad wolf found himself as a target. For Levy to break through their cyber defenses and obtain this file and go undetected, it simply was impossible. Natsu couldn't wrap his brain around it.

Levy crossed her arms and fixed her gaze on him. "I know everything about you, Salamander."

Natsu reached into his coat and pulled out his gun, aiming it at Levy's head. She didn't even blink, just stared at him without any emotion.

 _What am I doing? This is Levy,_ he thought, but made no move to lower his gun. It was instinct that made him react this way, along with the contents of the file on the phone. No one was supposed to know that information. Levy's cold, analytical stare bore into him. A shiver went down his back. Natsu felt like he couldn't hide anything from those eyes. What scared him the most was how easy Levy had been able to hide her true nature. She had made him believe she was nothing but an innocent bookworm. Natsu hadn't suspected her for an instant.

"Who sent you this file, Levy?" He paused, narrowing his eyes at her. "Is that even your real name?"

"Don't be so dramatic," she scoffed while rolling her eyes. "Of course Levy is my real name."

"Answer my question then. If you read this file, you know I have no problem pulling this trigger." The gun clicked as he took the safety off.

 _Damnit! Levy! Is someone forcing her to do this? Did Loke send her up here to stop me from meeting Nichiya's alley cat? But why would she have this file?_ Natsu took a second and glanced at the phone he gripped in his other hand. _And why is she acting like this?_

Levy sighed heavily, annoyed at having to explain herself. "No one sent it to me. I told you. I hacked into the system and got it myself shortly after Gajeel first introduced us."

 _That long ago!_ "Impossible!" Natsu shook his head. "There's only one place where you could have gotten this information and only one person has the clearance to this file. There's no way you could have access to this. Who the hell are you working for?"

"I'm not working for anyone," Levy shot back. "You can consider me sort of a freelancer in the Underworld. I only contract myself to those who meet my criteria. Before you start asking more questions, just know that retrieving your file wasn't a job I did for anyone. I did it to satisfy my own curiosity. I knew there was more to you than meets the eye and I was right."

"Why reveal what you know about me now?"

"I know how important information is. How it can be misused, especially in the Underworld. Something you clearly don't realize."

"What do you mean?"

Levy sighed again, disappointment shining in her eyes. "You broke your promise to me, Natsu."

"When did I—" Natsu lowered his gun.

"You promised to tell me if you believed Lucy was in danger, but you didn't." Levy balled her hands at her sides. Natsu could see her tiny fists shake slightly. "A promise is a promise, Natsu. I told you she was precious to me. Instead, you went off trying to figure out things on your own."

"Until about 8 minutes ago, I thought you were just an ordinary person, Levy. I would never drag you into the Underworld with this business. I'm trying to keep everyone safe!"

"How is approaching Nichiya to put a tag on Lucy and dig into her past keeping her safe?"

"How do you know about that?" Natsu stared at Levy who rolled her eyes at him again, and then it dawned on him. "You're Nichiya's alley cat!"

"For someone so feared in the Underworld, you really are dense. And I hate that he calls me that." Levy wrinkled her nose. "Just because I do a few jobs for him, he shouldn't lump me with the rest of his people. I'm the sole reason why he can compete with his brother on the information scale. I could put Ichiya out of business if I decided to do this full time. I learned to put limits on myself though, something you need to learn to do. I don't doubt your abilities but when you get desperate, you get sloppy. How could you drag Lucy into the Underworld again?"

"I'm trying to keep her out of danger. You don't understand, Loke is brainwashing Lucy. There's no time to do this the right way. Even if there was, you must know how manipulative those systems can be."

"Brainwashing?" Levy looked at him confused. "Natsu, listen to yourself. Lucy isn't being brainwashed."

"So you believe that ridiculous story of his?"

"Not entirely..."

"What answer is there other than brainwashing?" Natsu stressed his words. He had to be right about the brainwashing. Nothing else made sense. "Why else would Lucy be engaged to a man after only three months?"

"There's the truth."

Natsu scowled. He knew how smart Levy was, but she wasn't making any sense. How could she not believe Loke's story, but still think it was the truth? "What do you mean?"

"Read the other file on the phone," she demanded. "It's the information you paid Nichiya for."

Natsu looked at the phone and saw a second file on the screen that was labeled with a cat emoji. Opening it, he started reading it quickly, searching for the information he knew would be in there. He wanted to know Loke's Boss so Natsu could make his next move. As he scanned the contents of the file, his scowl only deepened. There weren't any red flags in it at all. Nothing that would reveal his sinister origins or any connections to the Underworld. The background analysis stated that Loke was an average guy, not a wolf.

"What the hell is this?" Natsu looked at Levy, perplexed and angry. "He's a wolf, I know it! There must be something you missed. You have to run the check again."

"I was able to pull your file from the most secure network on this planet without any detection and you think I missed something?" Natsu knew how ludicrous he sounded. If Levy could pull off that feat, of course she hadn't missed anything, but that meant he had to face the alternative.

"If Lucy's not being brainwashed...and if Loke isn't part of the Underworld…" Natsu trailed off before yelling out in aggravation. The panic he was able to stave off was creeping up again. He never felt like this. No matter the situation, he always had a plan. Now, he didn't know what step he should take. "FUCK!" The phone cracked as Natsu threw it down. He aimed his gun at it and loaded all the bullets into it. The silencer on the gun dampened the noise. "WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING?"

"The infamous temper of the Salamander," Levy whispered, not a hint of fear in her voice. "The reports don't do it justice."

Natsu turned to Levy, who watched him silently, her eyes taking everything in. He looked at the remains of the phone and then at his hands, which still shook with anger. He clenched them into fists before pocketing his gun. Natsu always felt angry, but he had learned to control it. However, when it came to Lucy and her safety, when he felt powerless to help her, he could barely hold his emotions back.

"Sorry, Levy." The words came out terse.

Levy watched him for some time, waiting for him to calm down again. When she finally spoke, her tone was cautious. "I need a little more time, but I think Loke Regulus is a Deadman."

In the Underworld, a Deadman was exactly how it sounded—a dead man. Bosses usually targeted desperate individuals who were in need of something immediately and didn't have the luxury of time or means to obtain it like money, a life saving operation, or even a murder cover up. A contract is signed to establish the terms of the agreement between the two parties. It may appear like the individual is getting the better deal, but that was the tragedy. A bit of ink on paper and the person would unknowingly sign his soul over to the Underworld.

After the contracted job was done by the Mafia, the individual would then have his life destroyed. All documents bearing the individual's identity or alluding to his person were permanently eradicated. It would be as if he never existed. Because the Mafia needed to scrub a person's identity completely, they preferred orphans or people with very little personal connections. It made killing them off a simpler job. However, in some extreme cases, entire families were killed just to create a single Deadman.

Deadmen were the preferred means for infiltration missions set up by Bosses. It was nearly impossible to connect the Deadmen to the Underworld. They're trained for their specific missions and then sent on their way. The Deadmen took all the risk and the Underworld Bosses reaped all the rewards. If a Deadman became unusable, then he's killed. Once you become a Deadman, there was no escaping that life. Deadmen lived for a moment with their dreams fulfilled, and died the next as those dreams turned into living nightmares. One they couldn't escape from except by death. You were merely a walking corpse.

"How can you be sure? All Bosses keep the identities of their Deadmen hidden. There are no lists or means to track them down." If Loke was a Deadman, then that would explain Natsu's bad feeling about the guy despite the clean record on his background check that Levy dug up. It also meant something more sinister had been in the works a lot longer than Natsu thought. A Boss planted a Deadman and waited for the perfect moment to attack. The Underworld wasn't targeting him. It was Lucy they were after. Lucy had been a target of a Boss for over five years, but why?

 _Was it simply because of her inheritance? Then why didn't the Deadman target her father?_ There were too many questions, and time was not on their side.

"Geez, Natsu!" Levy threw her hands up in the air, exasperated. "What do I have to do for you to stop doubting my abilities? You're not the only one with a reputation in the Underworld, although I like to keep mine on the downlow. I just need a little more time to work it all out and to do that, we need to work together."

"Together?" He arched his brow. Natsu never worked with anyone on missions. There was too much risk with working with a partner—too much liability.

"Yes," Levy smiled, warmth returning back to her eyes. It made Natsu relax a little. Seeing Levy look so cold had unnerved him. "I've been waiting for you to get back, but now that you're here, I'm confident we can save Lucy. I have a plan, but..." Levy frowned, wagging her finger in front of him. "You have to follow it exactly as I say, Natsu. You can't go off on your own and do things like put tags on Lucy or Loke. You can't make moves that are traceable or predictable."

"Predictable?" Natsu chuckled, closing the distance between them. He reached out and ruffled her hair. "I think I have a little more experience dealing with—"

Levy smacked his hand away. "I'm serious, Natsu. You can't save Lucy going about this with guns blazing like you normally do. This is about tact and stealth and out maneuvering the enemy. An enemy you don't even know about."

"I know who the enemy is." He growled. "It's that Loke bastard downstairs! You claim he's a Deadman then that's enough reason to take him out now. Let's just take him out and all of this will be solved. Lucy will be saved and everything will go back to normal." Natsu started walking toward the door.

"Loke is dangerous, sure, but he isn't the real enemy." He heard Levy's heels clicking on the rooftop as she followed him. "But it's the person who made Loke a Deadman that is the true enemy. Until we know his or her identity, we can't attack Loke. Not without fear of further endangering Lucy." Levy dashed in front of him and threw her arms out to block the door. "I know you don't like this, but you have to trust me. We have to wait and gather more information."

"I just found out you've been living a double life as an Underworld intelligence freelancer and you want me to trust you?" Natsu arched his brow again.

"I knew the truth about you and never said a word to anyone" she countered. "Plus, I even invited you to my wedding."

Levy had known for a couple years about his true identity. All the things he's done—the true monster he was, and hadn't said anything. Natsu sighed and relaxed some of the tension in his body. He could trust Levy. "Does Gajeel know about you?" he asked.

Levy's eyes widened and then looked at him cautiously. "He doesn't, and I would like to keep it that way."

"I'm not good at this though." Natsu sighed loudly, pulling at this hair again. "It hasn't even been 36 hours since I've found out about everything and it's killing me. I can't watch that asshole lord over Lucy like he has been and not do anything. The bastard even demanded that I stopped seeing Lucy or I'll…." He stopped himself. Natsu held up his hand and saw the slight tremble. He was shaking, but this time, there was no anger. He noticed Levy watching him, no doubt she hadn't missed that detail. Shoving his hands in the pockets of his coat, he looked away. "I don't want to lose her, Levy. I can't. I..."

"You won't." Levy placed her hand on his arm. "We'll meet tomorrow and I'll tell you my plan. We're going to save her, Natsu. Trust me. The two of us together," she shook her head and smiled wickedly. "What more frightening a duo could you ask for?"

"Has anyone ever told you how intimidating you are?"

"Maybe once or twice," Levy winked.

"Okay, Blue Raven. I'll follow your lead then." Looking down at Levy, Natsu managed to smile slightly. "I trust you."

"Thank you." Levy beamed up at him. "Pink Penguin, Operation Starling will be a success."

 _One way or another_ , Natsu thought, feeling the weight of the gun in his coat. "Levy, about my file—"

"You don't have to explain yourself to me." Levy stopped halfway through the doorway that led back into the warmth of the building. "Also, those files on my phone were coded to self destruct themselves. I don't walk around with your information so carelessly. I also added another string of security to your file that's on the server of that organization. I swear, no one will ever see what's in there unless you want them to."

Natsu's eyes widened and then his smile spread. He couldn't help but be amazed by Levy again. There were hardly any words that would express his gratitude enough. Not just with her protecting his secrets, but still smiling at him even after knowing how truly monstrous he was.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"You can thank me by buying me a new phone," she said, looking back at him.

He laughed lightly. "I promise."

"Now, I'm heading inside. I'm half frozen and who knows what kind of trouble Gajeel is getting into." Levy flashed him one more smile, before racing down the stairs.

Natsu looked up into the night, and breathed out, seeing his breath form above him. Among the black sky above, a lone, pale star peaked through, stubbornly shining despite the lights of the city trying to drown it out. He didn't receive the information he thought he would tonight, but he did gain an unexpected ally.

 _Maybe there isn't complete darkness in the Underworld after all_.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Hello Stars!

First, thank you to the lovely betas who worked on this chapter! PerchanceADream, HappinessExpires, Promiselight, and Nina of Fairy Tail, I'm thrilled you ladies are always willing to help me out. I appreciate all the feedback and tidying up my mistakes.

I hope you Stars enjoyed the latest chapter as well! Tell me your thoughts and what you think is in store for everyone. It's always fun to see your guesses. Also, thank you all for being so patient with me with my updates. Love you all for sticking with me and supporting my story. :D Until next time!


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